Warriors: Echoes of the War: The Broken Shadow
by Jayie The Hufflepuff
Summary: Second book in the EOTW series. Silentpaw's return from RiverClan means she has to fight to regain their trust, as well as continuing her warrior training. But when a dark omen threatens to tear ShadowClan apart, Silentpaw's loyalty is tested again. The question is asked of what it truly means to be a warrior, and the warrior code threatens to crumble away to nothing.
1. Allegiances

The Broken Shadow Allegiances

**THUNDERCLAN**

**LEADER**

BRAMBLESTAR - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**DEPUTY**

SQUIRRELFLIGHT - dark ginger she-cat with green eyes (mother of Redkit, a red-brown tabby she-cat with green eyes, foster mother of Sunnykit, a pale ginger she-cat with green eyes, and Shadowkit, a dark brown tabby tom)

**MEDICINE CAT**

JAYFEATHER - gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes

**WARRIORS**

LEAFPOOL - light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, former medicine cat  
BIRCHFALL - light brown tabby tom  
APPRENTICE, LIGHTPAW  
BERRYNOSE - cream-colored tom  
MOUSEWHISKER - gray-and-white tom  
LIONBLAZE - golden tabby tom with amber eyes  
CINDERHEART - gray tabby she-cat  
APPRENTICE, SPARKPAW  
FOXLEAP - reddish tabby tom  
TOADSTEP - black-and-white tom  
ROSEPETAL - dark cream she-cat  
BLOSSOMFALL - tortoiseshell and white she-cat  
BUMBLESTRIPE - very pale gray tom with black stripes  
APPRENTICE, BLAZEPAW  
IVYPOOL - silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes  
APPRENTICE, SILENTPAW  
MOLEFOOT - brown-and-cream tom  
SEEDLIGHT - very pale ginger she-cat  
LILYFROST - dark tabby she-cat with patches  
AMBERTALON - very small gray-and-white she-cat  
SNOWFALL - white tom with amber eyes

**APPRENTICES**

SILENTPAW - black she-cat with a white stripe  
BLAZEPAW - pale ginger tabby tom with green eyes  
SPARKPAW - dark cream-and-white tom  
LIGHTPAW - light brown tom with white paws

**QUEENS**

HAZELTAIL - (mother of Finchkit, a pale golden tabby tom with white)  
DOVEWING - pale gray she-cat with golden eyes (mother of Ripplekit, a gray tabby tom with blue eyes, and Skykit, a pale tom with a darker stripe)  
DAISY - cream long-furred cat from the horseplace

**ELDERS**

CLOUDTAIL - long-haired white tom with blue eyes  
BRIGHTHEART - white she-cat with ginger patches  
MILLIE - striped gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes  
SPIDERLEG - long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes  
SORRELTAIL - tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes

**SHADOWCLAN**

**LEADER**

ROWANSTAR – ginger tom

**DEPUTY**

OAKFUR – small brown tom

**MEDICINE CAT**

TWIGCLAW - stump-tailed brown tabby tom

**WARRIORS**

SMOKEFOOT - black tom  
APPRENTICE, MARSHPAW  
APPLEFUR - mottled brown she-cat  
SNOWBIRD - pure white she-cat  
OLIVENOSE - tortoiseshell she-cat  
APPRENTICE, SMOKEPAW  
SHREWFOOT - gray she-cat with black feet  
APPRENTICE, MINKPAW  
TIGERHEART - dark brown tabby tom  
DAWNPELT – cream-furred she-cat  
DEWFROST - gray she-cat  
WETWHISKER - dark tabby tom  
SPECKLEFOOT - pale tortoiseshell she-cat  
TREESHADOW - dark brown she-cat  
APPRENTICE, STRIPEDPAW  
STONECLAW - pale gray tabby tom with blue eyes  
APPRENTICE, ADDERPAW

**QUEENS**

PINENOSE - black she-cat

**ELDERS**

TOADFOOT - dark brown tom  
CROWFROST - black-and-white tom  
RATSCAR - brown tom with long scar across his back

**WINDCLAN**

**LEADER**

ASHSTAR - gray she-cat

**DEPUTY**

WEASELFUR - ginger tom with white paws

**MEDICINE CAT**

KESTRELFLIGHT - mottled brown tom  
APPRENTICE, ICEPAW

**WARRIORS**

CROWFEATHER - dark gray tom  
GORSETAIL - very pale gray-and-white she-cat with blue eyes  
HARESPRING - brown-and-white tom  
EMBERFOOT - gray tom with two dark paws  
APPRENTICE, QUICKPAW  
HEATHERTAIL - light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes, mother of Breezepelt's kits  
CROUCHFOOT - black tom  
LARKSONG - gray she-cat with green eyes  
DARKBREEZE - dark gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes, kit of Heathertail and Breezepelt  
NIGHTFERN - brown mottled she-cat with amber eyes, kit of Heathertail and Breezepelt

**QUEENS**

SUNSTRIKE - tortoiseshell she-cat with large white mark on her forehead  
SEDGEWHISKER - light brown tabby she-cat

**RIVERCLAN**

**LEADER**

MISTYSTAR - blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes  
APPRENTICE, LAKEPAW

**DEPUTY**

REEDWHISKER - black tom

**MEDICINE CAT**

WILLOWSHINE - gray tabby she-cat

**WARRIORS**

DUSKFUR - brown tabby she-cat  
MINNOWTAIL - dark gray she-cat  
MALLOWNOSE - light brown tabby tom  
ROBINWING - tortoiseshell-and-white tom  
GRASSPELT - light brown tom  
RUSHTAIL - light brown tabby tom  
HERONSTRIKE – brown tabby tom  
LEAFDRIFT - pale gray she-cat  
PONDBREEZE - dark brown tom with white paws  
YARROWLEAF – gray-brown tabby tom with bright yellow eyes  
FINSTRIKE - sleek dark gray she-cat with dark amber eyes  
EELTOOTH - sleek dark gray tom with pale amber eyes

**QUEENS**

SILVERSHINE - silver tabby she-cat  
MOSSYFOOT - brown-and-white she-cat  
PETALFUR – gray-and-white she-cat

**ELDERS**

GRAYMIST - pale gray tabby she-cat  
POUNCETAIL - ginger-and-white tom

**CATS OUTSIDE THE CLAN**

SMOKEY - muscular gray-and-white tom who lives in a barn at the horseplace  
FLOSS - small gray-and-white she-cat who lives at the horseplace

* * *

Here, finally, are the allegiances for book two, The Broken Shadow.

This book begins a moon after the end of Faded Boundaries, for those unclear. I cleared out all the cats who died, promoted a few apprentices and kits, and had some new kits born and new queens.


	2. Prologue

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Prologue

Deep in the pine forests and marshes, a brown tomcat was sorting through herbs. The scraggly leaves and wrinkled berries on the ground in front of him, usually so important to his work, seemed useless to him now. A medicine cat was supposed to be able to heal. But the illness he battled now seemed impossible to beat.

The tom hung his head. He hadn't slept very well the last few day. As the sole medicine cat of ShadowClan, he had been running back and forth to try and keep this illness under wraps. But nothing he did seemed to have any effect.

He lifted his muzzle towards the sky, closing his eyes. "Oh Littlecloud," he breathed, "you didn't prepare me for this. I wish you were here now – you would know what to do." His mentor had been gone for many moons now, but he still missed the little tabby. But nothing could change the way things were. Littlecloud was gone, and now he was the sole caretaker of ShadowClan. That was not an easy task these days. With the illness, and the Clan still recovering from the flood, and the loss of Tawnypelt, ShadowClan's luck did not seem to be good these days. And with leafbare approaching, he could only see things getting worse.

The ferns in front of his den rustled, and Olivenose poked her head inside. In her jaws was a toad. She padded inside, dropping the toad in front of tom. "Here," she mewed. "You look like you haven't eaten in days, Twigclaw."

Twigclaw practically attacked the toad, digging in and wolfing down gulps. He'd barely eaten since the illness had come, and the hunger was suddenly fiercer now that there was food in front of him. Once he finished the toad, he sat up, a little embarrassed by his manners. "Sorry about that."

Olivenose's whiskers twitched in amusement. "No problem. You looked like you needed it." She grew somber, green eyes flashing with concern. "Has there been any change?"

The medicine cat stiffened. "No," he mewed stiffly. Twigclaw turned away from Olivenose, poring over his herbs as he called, "I'm sorry, but I have work to do." He couldn't let his Clanmate see how worried he was.

"Alright." There were pawsteps behind him, and then he felt a comforting paw over his own. "But don't forget to care of yourself too. What will happen will happen, and we can't lose our medicine cat too." With that, the tortoiseshell turned and padded out of the den, leaving Twigclaw with his useless, useless herbs.

He'd been trying to keep his Clanmates from realizing how bad things were. Barely a moon had passed since the terrible flood that had devastated the Clans and taken Tawnypelt from them. ShadowClan was just starting to get back on its feet. If they realized how close they were to losing so much, there would be panic and chaos. He had to keep the Clan together, whatever it took.

After a few minutes of deliberation, the stumpy-tailed tom grabbed a few leaves and roots and headed out of his den with them. As Twigclaw left his den and headed across the camp, he cast a quick glance at the tree where Rowanstar made his announcement. He noticed the shadow the tree was casting and paused, stopping to stand and stare at it. The shadow was strange. It seemed unusually dark and strong, stronger than it should be soft daylight. He couldn't bring himself to look away.

A familiar voice whispered in his ear. "_Twigclaw."_ He stiffened at the sound of his mentor's voice. But he didn't turn his head. He knew Littlecloud would not be there; this was a vision, not a friendly visit from Silverpelt.

As Twigclaw stared at the shadow, a bright light suddenly cast itself down upon it. He looked up. The clouds had parted, letting the sun shine bright through. He felt a brush of hope at such a bright, shining light. But when he looked back down at the shadow, he saw with horror that the sun's light had broken the shadow right in half. The fur on the back of his neck began to raise at the sight of the broken shadow. Twigclaw stood stiff and unmoving, staring in frozen horror at the vision, until the clouds passed over the sun once more and covered its light. The shadow no longer seemed as unusually dark. It was just a shadow once again.

Twigclaw finally turned away, but he couldn't shake the horrible feeling the vision had given him. The sight of the broken shadow seemed to dance before his eyes even that he had looked away. It was the first omen from StarClan he had received as a full medicine cat. But he felt little hope or joy because of it. The omen had promised only darkness for his Clan. The fur on the back of his neck was still bristling uncomfortably. He forced himself to turn away, padding towards a den across camp with his herbs still firmly in his jaws.

He could only hope that the light he had seen would not destroy ShadowClan completely.

* * *

And here we begin the next book in EOTW, The Broken Shadow. You can see where the name comes from right here in this prologue.

Twigclaw's POV is an interesting change, but we won't be sticking to it, it's just a prologue thing. Back to Silentpaw and Blazepaw.

So, it's been a moon since the flood ended. Silentpaw and Blazepaw have now been apprentice for four moons, as a reminder.


	3. Chapter One

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter One

"Watch it!"

A ginger tom had to scramble out of the way as a white cat nearly crashed into him. The white apprentice blinked in shock, as if he had come out of a daze. "Huh? Oh, sorry, Blazepaw."

"It's alright." Blazepaw relaxed, letting his ruffled fur lie flat. The older tom still seemed out of sorts, and Blazepaw had a feeling he knew why. "Warrior ceremony jitters?"

Amberpaw and Snowpaw had passed their final warrior assessment two days ago. Bramblestar had announced earlier that morning that they would hold their warrior ceremony at sunset. Both apprentices had been excited all day, but as they got closer, Blazepaw could tell his friend was becoming nervous.

The snow-white apprentice hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah." His amber eyes were bright with worry, and with grief. In a low voice, he admitted, "I wish Dewpaw was here. He deserved to get his warrior name with us." The gray apprentice had died in the flood nearly two moons ago, and though the grief didn't hit nearly as hard anymore, it was clear Snowpaw still felt it.

Blazepaw felt a strong rush of sympathy. He missed Dewpaw too, but he couldn't imagine how Snowpaw felt. Losing a denmate was very different from losing a littermate. "I'm sorry," he mewed, flicking his tail. "But Dewpaw's safe in StarClan now. He'll be watching you today, and I'm sure he'll be so proud of you and Amberpaw."

Snowpaw began to relax, his stiff posture loosening. "Yeah. You're right." He shook out his pelt, suddenly looking more energized. "I don't want to mope around camp until the ceremony. Come on, let's go hunt one last time as denmates."

"We'll be denmates again soon enough," Blazepaw growled playfully, flattening his ears. "It's not like I'll be an apprentice forever." He followed Snowpaw out of the camp, full of high spirits.

A moon had passed since the terrible flood that had taken their camp from them. ThunderClan had successfully settled back into the stone hollow. Every day, Blazepaw was grateful to be sleeping in the apprentice's cave again, and eating prey under an open sky, no longer closed in by walls and roof of the twoleg nest that had sheltered them. The territory had fully recovered from the flood. Even though leaf-fall was coming to a close and the days were getting colder, prey was still more plentiful than it had been in the moon of the flood. Blazepaw quickly brought down a pigeon, and Snowpaw snagged a squirrel out of a tree, wrestling it to the ground and dispatching it with a quick bite to the neck.

Snowpaw looked up from the squirrel, spitting out fur. "Blech. I hate catching those by the tail. I'll be tasting fur for days." He looked over at Blazepaw's pigeon, adding, "Better than feathers, though."

"They're not so bad." Blazepaw leaned over his pigeon, plucking one of the long, wing feathers off the bird. "Besides, they make great playthings for the kits. I'll take a few for Dovewing and Squirrelflight's kits."

The kits of Rowanstar and Tawnypelt were growing fast. They were already stumbling around camp, playing and getting into everything, as kits did. Redkit was only a quarter of a moon younger, but her legs were shorter than her adopted littermates', and she had to fight to keep up with the older kits. Sunnykit was full of energy, always bounding around camp, often playing with the equally-energetic Ripplekit. Shadowkit was more subdued than his sister. He and Redkit would often be seen in the elder's den, listening with wide eyes to Cloudtail's tales and Spiderleg's grumbling.

Some cats still seemed uneasy about raising the ShadowClan's leaders kits in their Clan, but most cats seemed to have warmed up to the kits. Sunnykit in particular seemed to have wrapped most of the Clan around her paw. She was so eager and cheerful and sweet that even the gruffest warriors couldn't help but spare her a friendly greeting when she bounded into them in her games.

Snowpaw nodded. "Good idea. I'll see if I can catch a bird too. Dovewing mentioned that she and Squirrelflight wouldn't mind them for their nests." He lifted his head, purring, "I won't have to clean out nests again after today."

"Congratulations," Blazepaw mewed. He couldn't help but feel a brief brush of envy. His best friend was about to become a full warrior, leading patrols and training apprentices, while Blazepaw was going to be left behind in the apprentice's den.

His friend seemed to guess what he was thinking. Snowpaw gave a friendly flick of his tail, assuring Blazepaw, "Don't worry, you've only got two more moons of training. We'll be full warriors together before you know it."

Blazepaw shook his head, trying to shake off his less savory thoughts. "You're right." The sun was out, the dead leaves crinkled under his paws in warm colors, and his best friend was about to gain a great honor. Today was not a day for feeling sorry for himself. "Come on, let's see if we can catch your bird before the ceremony."

**SCENEBREAK**

They managed to bring down a thrush and a vole before they had to return to camp. Cats were already starting to crowd around the high ledge when they got there. Word of the ceremony had spread fast. Amberpaw greeted them as they returned with their prey, barreling into them in her excitement. "What took you mousebrains so long? It's going to start soon! Here, I'll take this," she snatched the vole from Snowpaw before he could object, "to the elders, and you take the rest to the fresh-kill pile, then we can be ready in time. Now go!" She whirled and hurried off, leaving her denmate and brother in surprised silence behind her.

Blazepaw made a quick decision. "You take the prey to the pile, I'll take the feathers to the queens," he offered.

Snowpaw relaxed. "Thanks, Blazepaw." He took Blazepaw's pigeon, tucking it awkwardly under his chin, then padded off. Blazepaw scooped the feathers together and picked them up, trying to ignore the way they tickled his jaws and throat as he headed towards the nursery.

When he entered the den, Shadowkit, Sunnykit, and Ripplekit were wrestling in the center, swiping at each other and snarling in play. They looked up as Blazepaw padded in, immediately abandoning their game to greet the apprentice. The rest of the kits followed more slowly. "Blazepaw! Are those for us?" Their eyes were wide as they gazed upon the many feathers he carried.

Blazepaw spat them out, letting them float to the sandy floor of the nursery. "Only some of them," he warned. "The rest are for the nests."

He selected a long, white feather and nudged it towards the nearest kit. Shadowkit's amber eyes widened in delight, reaching out a small, dark paw to bat at the feather. The kits immediately fell upon it, batting it around back and forth in some quickly made-up game. Blazepaw purred fondly at the sight of their games. It was good to see ThunderClan kits playing in the real nursery again.

"Are the rest of those for us?" Blazepaw turned to see Squirrelflight padding towards him. The deputy lived in the nursery and looked after her kits, but she still did her best to keep up with her duties. He had seen her earlier that day assigning patrols in the center of camp.

Blazepaw nodded. "Snowpaw and I got them for your nests," he told her.

From her nest, Dovewing purred. "I saw you and Snowpaw hunting out there. Is he excited to be earning his name today?"

"Of course," Blazepaw replied. "He's just a little more quiet about it than Amberpaw."

Daisy sat up in her nest, curling her plummy tail around her paws. "I never became a warrior, but I saw how excited my kits were when they finally earned their names," she said. "It's good that they're getting their names today. New warriors means a stronger Clan, and with leafbare coming, we'll need all the hunters we can get to feed our kits."

Blazepaw tipped his head curiously. The last time it had been leafbare, he'd been too young to remember most of it. He wondered what it would be like to see snow again. Would it be as cold and dangerous as the elders always said?

From outside the nursery, a call came. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the High Ledge for a Clan meeting!" Blazepaw stiffened. It was time.

He bounded out of the den without saying goodbye, eager to get a good spot to watch the ceremony. His mother was sitting towards the front of the crowd, where everything could be easily viewed. Blazepaw hurried to sit beside her. On her other side was his sister, Silentpaw.

Silentpaw had been away from ThunderClan the entire moon of the flood. When Dovewing had seen RiverClan driven away from her camp by the flood, Silentpaw had been determined to help them. Against Bramblestar's orders, she had left ThunderClan to aid RiverClan with hunting and rebuilding after the flood. She had returned to ThunderClan a moon ago, and as much as Blazepaw had missed her, he couldn't help but feel a little odd whenever she tried to talk and joke with him like she had never been gone. He spared her a quick flick of the ear as he sat, but then turned his attention away.

Bramblestar stood atop the High Ledge, looking as powerful and proud as a warrior of TigerClan. Right below stood Snowpaw and Amberpaw. Snowpaw's snow-white fur was sleek and clean. He'd obviously spent a few moments grooming himself before the ceremony. Amberpaw looked tiny beside her brother, like a new apprentice rather than a cat about to become a warrior, but the fierce pride blazing in her eyes and the strong muscles under her gray pelt were equal to any warrior.

The leader began to speak. "We have survived some hard times in the last season, ThunderClan. From the Dark Forest's attack on our way of life, to greencough in leafbare, and finally the flood that took our home. One cat was lost in that flood who should be standing here today." Blazepaw felt a pang of grief at the mention of Dewpaw, and of hope. He could almost imagine the gray tom standing beside his littermates, staring up at Bramblestar with the same strength and pride in his eyes, not for himself, but for his siblings.

"The two cats before me today survived all of those hard times. Though one cat was lost, we still have two strong, brave cats, ready to take their place as full warriors of this Clan." Bramblestar leaped down from the High Ledge, coming to stand before the apprentices. In a deep rumble, he announced, "I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." Amberpaw's tail curled with excitement, and Snowpaw's eyes were shining bright. "Snowpaw, Amberpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Snowpaw dipped his head, clearly trying not to show how excited he was. "I do."

"I do!" Amberpaw called out clearly, her claws flexing with pent-up joy.

Bramblestar gazed warmly upon the apprentices and continued, "Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Snowpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Snowfall. StarClan honors your wisdom and your dedication, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Snowfall dipped his head. Bramblestar laid his chin on his bowed head, and Snowfall gave his shoulder a respectful lick. Blazepaw felt a burst of pride for his best friend.

Continuing the ceremony, Bramblestar turned next to the gray she-cat. "Amberpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Ambertalon. StarClan honors your courage and your enthusiasm, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

As Ambertalon dipped her head, the Clan burst out into cheering for the new warriors. Blazepaw's voice rang out loudly with his Clanmates', full of pride and excitement for his friends. "Ambertalon! Snowfall! Ambertalon! Snowfall!" He could see Silentpaw cheering too, her blind gray eyes blazing with joy.

Snowfall and Ambertalon turned to face their Clanmates, heads held high. Bramblestar announced, "As is tradition, Snowfall and Ambertalon will sit in silent vigil tonight." He waved his tail, signaling that the meeting was over.

The sun was just finishing setting, and night was falling fast. Snowfall and Ambertalon's vigil would begin soon. Cats began to approach the new warriors, offering their congratulations. Blazepaw bounded up to his friends, purring. "I'm so happy for you," he told them, touching noses with both cats. Neither one spoke, their vigil required them to stay silent until dawn, but Snowfall dipped his head, and Ambertalon's eyes shone with joy.

As he padded away from the High Ledge, Bumblestripe approached him. "It'll be your turn soon enough," the gray warrior purred, as if he'd guessed what his apprentice was thinking. "Your fighting is coming along really well, and you can hunt as well as any warrior."

Blazepaw purred. "Thanks, Bumblestripe." In truth, he wasn't that jealous of his friends anymore. He knew his day would come. But it was kind of his mentor to try and cheer him up. "I think I'm going to eat and get some sleep. Are we training in the morning?"

Bumblestripe nodded, waving his fluffy tail. "Yeah. We'll be practicing tracking through different conditions. I'll need you up by dawn. Make sure to wake up Silentpaw too. She's on den-cleaning duty starting at dawn."

He tried to ignore the twinge of uneasiness at the mention of his sister's name. "Of course." Ever since her return from RiverClan, Silentpaw had been confined to camp as punishment for disobeying Bramblestar. To her credit, she hadn't offered any complaint about her punishment. She cleaned out the nursery and elders' dens without any of her usual snark, helping Jayfeather sort herbs without gagging. Somehow, it still seemed like a light punishment for leaving her Clan for an entire moon. But Blazepaw wasn't about to point that out to any cat. He was lucky ThunderClan had an understanding leader who wouldn't exile her for abandoning the Clan.

With a final flick of his ear, he turned and padded off towards the fresh-kill pile, only to find Silentpaw already there.

"Oh, hello," she purred. She had one paw over a large squirrel. "I thought maybe you'd want to share this?"

Blazepaw hesitated. That uneasy feeling still prickled at his paws, but he couldn't very well refuse. "Yeah, alright." Silentpaw scooped up the squirrel in her jaws, and together they started off towards the apprentices' den. Blazepaw didn't speak, glancing away awkwardly as they made their way to the den.

Lightpaw and Sparkpaw were already there when they reached the den. The brothers looked up from the finch they were sharing as Blazepaw and Silentpaw padded inside. "Hi," Lightpaw greeted shyly, before going back to his meal. Blazepaw had thought _he_ was shy, but he was as social as his sister compared to Lightpaw.

Sparkpaw just glared at Silentpaw for a moment before returning to his finch, giving no greeting to either cat. The cream-and-white tom had made it perfectly clear when Silentpaw returned to ThunderClan that he thought she was traitor to the warrior code for abandoning ThunderClan to help another Clan. Silentpaw didn't seem too bothered by her denmate's rude behavior. She ignored him completely, settling down in her nest and dropping the squirrel. "Come on, dig in," she invited her brother. "I don't know about you, but I'm starving!"

Blazepaw laid down on his nest. He and Silentpaw began eating, his pelt prickling with unease. As they ate, Silentpaw commented, "It seemed wrong that Dewpaw wasn't there getting his name too. He would have made a great warrior." Her gray eyes grew cloudy with grief. "I miss him."

Of all the apprentices, Silentpaw had been closest with Dewpaw. Blazepaw felt his prickly attitude begin to fade. He laid his tail tip on her back in a comforting manner. "I'm sorry," he mewed. "I miss him too. But at least he's safe in StarClan."

She sighed, "You're right. But he's not here, and it hurts, even though I know he's watching over us." She was silent for several moments, then she shook her head, forcing a more cheerful expression. "Well, at least with Snowfall and Ambertalon being warriors, there'll be more room in the den. It was starting to get crowded in here." The apprentice glared sightlessly at Sparkpaw, adding, "So no hogging up all the space." Sparkpaw just snorted and turned away.

Blazepaw purred in amusement, but in truth, the uneasy feeling had returned. He didn't understand it. He had missed Silentpaw every moment she'd been gone. All he'd wanted was for her to come home from RiverClan. But now that she was here, he could barely say two words to her without feeling like there was something wrong. She acted like nothing had changed, but something was broken between the littermates, and Blazepaw didn't know how to fix it.

* * *

Finally, chapter one. Amberpaw and Snowpaw are finally warriors, Ambertalon and Snowfall. Ambertalon was named for her fierce nature and fighting skills, and Snowfall was named that because it sounds cool and because I know everyone and their mother is naming him Snowstorm in their fics and headcanons and I wanted to do something different.

Anyway, Blazepaw's feeling a bit uneasy about his sister being home. We'll explore that more later. ^^

We'll be back to Silentpaw's POV next chapter.


	4. Chapter Two

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Two

Late one day, Silentpaw was cleaning out the elder's den, listening to them chatting about the new warriors.

"Warriors at last," Brightheart purred. "I'm so proud of them. They've worked so hard."

Cloudtail's tail swept against the sandy floor, a purr rumbling deep in his throat. "I wish Whitewing was still here to see this. She would have been so proud of her brother and sister." His voice softened as he added, "I wish Dewpaw had been there too."

Brightheart pressed her muzzle against Cloudtail's cheek. "He's with Whitewing now," she reminded him, "and they'll be watching over us all."

As the mates talked about their kits, Sorreltail turned her attention to Silentpaw. "You haven't said much," the old she-cat commented. "What's on your mind?"

Silentpaw didn't turn to face the elder. She flicked her tail-tip back and forth, a slow, anxious rhythm. "Nothing," she mewed distractedly.

"You're wondering if Bramblestar will let you go to the Gathering tonight." Silentpaw started in surprise. Millie had spoken behind her in a knowing tone. Two days had passed since Snowfall and Ambertalon's warrior ceremony, and the Gathering was tonight. "Do you really think that's the best idea, after your little adventure with RiverClan?" The apprentice stiffened at the accusation, but Millie hadn't sounded annoyed, only amused.

She shrugged. "Maybe not. But I still want to go." Silentpaw didn't tell Millie that she wanted to see how RiverClan was doing since the flood, or about the friends she wanted to see again. It had been a moon since she had returned from RiverClan, but she knew her Clanmates were still wary at the thought of her having strong friendships in another Clan.

Across the den, Spiderleg sniffed, "Apprentices who go traipsing off to enemy Clans against orders shouldn't just get to go to Gatherings whenever they please. Clan loyalty is actually still important to some of us."

Silentpaw bristled. "Are you suggesting I'm not loyal to my Clan, Spiderleg?" she growled.

"What loyal cat would care more about some fishfaces than her own Clanmates?" the elder retorted, lashing his tail.

Sorreltail pinned her ears back. "There's no need to snap at her like that, Spiderleg," she growled. "Try and remember who's been bringing you fresh bedding for the last moon. Show a little gratitude."

Spiderleg snorted, "She's been taking care of us because she has to. Bramblestar's got her doing all the duties apprentices hate, and I don't blame him. She betrayed ThunderClan when she left like that. If you ask me, he's being too easy on her."

Fury boiled just under her pelt. It took all of Silentpaw's self-control not to snap at the elder again. Instead, she gave him a stiff nod and scraped up his bedding, tucking it under her chin and taking it out of the den without another word.

Spiderleg wasn't the only cat who had been giving her grief since her return. It was clear that a lot of cats didn't appreciate her being so close with RiverClan for so long. Spiderleg was constantly grumpy, so Silentpaw didn't take his criticism too personally. He'd probably be back to grumbling about Lightpaw bringing back wet moss for bedding in a few moons. As for Sparkpaw, he and Silentpaw had never seen eye to eye. It wasn't surprising he'd been giving her the silent treatment for this newest betrayal. It was the little things that really bugged her, cats hurrying past her in camp or cutting off conversations when she approached them. It was clear a good number of her Clanmates still didn't trust her, even after a moon back in ThunderClan.

Through the day, as she continued her duties cleaning dens, her thoughts kept straying to the Gathering, and her punishment for helping RiverClan. For the last moon since she'd gotten back, she hadn't been allowed to leave camp at all. Bramblestar had put her on den-cleaning duty every day since her return. She had to clear out the bedding in all the dens, feed the queens and elders, clear ticks and fleas off the elders, and help Jayfeather sort out herbs.

After almost being treated as a warrior and mentor in RiverClan, having all the worst apprentice tasks dumped on her was extremely frustrating. But she took it all without a word of complaint. She knew she had left ThunderClan in the time they had needed her most. Even if she didn't regret helping RiverClan, she knew that decision came with consequences. She was willing to accept them with grace. After all, maybe if she had stayed, Dewpaw and Petalkit wouldn't have died. Having to handle mouse bile and listening to grumpy elders seemed like a small burden to bear in the face of that. Anytime she felt like complaining about all the work, she remembered the empty place where Dewpaw's nest had once been, and remembered that she hadn't been there when he and her Clanmates had needed her most.

But she wanted to go to the Gathering, more than anything. It had been a moon since she had seen her friends from RiverClan. They had been doing well the last time she'd seen them, but she still wanted to check on them. No matter how little Spiderleg or Sparkpaw might like it, she did have friends there, and she wanted to know how they were doing. She also hadn't seen Darkbreeze in a moon. Her kin in WindClan was quickly becoming a good friend of hers, and she wanted to meet up with the warrior again soon. She wanted to hear how Nightfern was settling back into WindClan, whether Lakekit was an apprentice yet, how Willowshine was faring finding herbs. Her world had expanded so much since that first Gathering, and now it included cats from every Clan, cats that she cared about and wanted to hear about. She wanted to go to the Gathering, and she knew the cat she had to talk to for that to happen.

Once her duties for the day were done, she set off for Bramblestar's den. She easily scaled the rocks that led up to the High Ledge, and the cave within. "Bramblestar?" she called out, lifting her muzzle and sniffing for her leader.

"Come in, Silentpaw." She padded inside the den, ears perked towards Bramblestar's voice. From the sound of it, he was lying down in his nest, head lifted to look at her. "What can I help you with?"

She dipped her head respectfully to the huge tom. "Bramblestar, I would like to go to the Gathering tonight," she mewed clearly. It was a very different tone she had taken than the last time she had confronted Bramblestar in his den. A moon of living in Mistystar's Clan had curbed her attitude a bit and taught her a lot about respect.

There was a pause. "You're aware you're still being punished."

"I know," she told him. "I'll keep cleaning dens as long as you like. I'd just really like to go."

Bramblestar sighed, his legs shifting in his nest. "I know. You've been working very hard. I have to say I'm impressed. But even if I were to end your punishment, I'm not so sure you should go to the Gathering." Silentpaw felt a brush of panic, but held her tongue. "You left the Clan for a moon. I'm sure you're aware some of your Clanmates are still having trouble trusting you."

Silentpaw sighed, thinking of Sparkpaw and Spiderleg. "I know," she mewed softly.

"I don't know whether it would send the right message to your Clanmates to let you see RiverClan again at the Gathering so soon after leaving them," Bramblestar told her. "A lot of cats think you're far too friendly with cats from other Clans. Maybe it would be a good idea to stay in camp tonight. It would help convince your Clanmates that your first loyalty is to ThunderClan."

The apprentice forced herself to keep her tone respectful. "I understand that. But the fact is that I stayed with RiverClan for a moon, and I have friends there now. Keeping me cooped up in camp isn't going to change that. I'm not the sort of cat that will just give up on friends because of what Clan they're from. This Gathering, next Gathering, ten Gatherings from now, it won't make a difference. I'll always be the kind of cats with friends outside the borders. My loyalty is here, and I'll do whatever it takes to prove that, but ThunderClan is just going to have to get used to me greeting friends at the Gathering."

Silentpaw heard Bramblestar sigh. He stayed silent for so long that Silentpaw began to grow anxious again. Finally, he rumbled, "Very well. I can see that you're not going to change your mind. You may go to the Gathering, and your punishment is at its end." The apprentice's tail curled in surprise. "You may resume your training with Ivypool. With leafbare coming, StarClan knows we need as many cats hunting as we can get. Just be careful, Silentpaw. Regaining the trust of your Clanmates is going to take real work."

She lowered her head respectfully, trying to hide how her pelt trembled with excitement. "I understand, Bramblestar. Thank you." Her paws practically tripped over themselves as she hurried out of the den, scrambling down the rock face and back down onto the camp's ground. Her anxieties had all faded away, replaced completely pure excitement. She was going to the Gathering!

It was already starting to get late. Cats were gathering around the High Ledge, waiting for Bramblestar to announce who would be coming. Silentpaw wandered the crowd until she caught a familiar scent. "Jayfeather," she mewed, approaching the small tom. Jayfeather was chatting with Lionblaze; they both turned towards Silentpaw as she approached them.

"So, he said yes, did he?" Jayfeather grunted. Both Silentpaw and Lionblaze reacted with surprise. Jayfeather just sighed impatiently and explained, "You've been thinking about the Gathering all day, and whether Bramblestar would let you go. And you seem far too pleased for him to have said no."

Silentpaw shook her head, purring fondly. Jayfeather could be terribly nosy with his powers, but Silentpaw had never minded as much as her Clanmates. "Yeah. Bramblestar said I could go tonight."

Jayfeather just nodded, but Lionblaze flicked his tail anxiously. "I'm not sure that's such a great idea," he mewed. "You just got back from RiverClan. Don't you think you should stay here for the night?"

"Bramblestar said the same thing, at first," Silentpaw told her father, unconcerned. "But it's his choice in the end."

Lionblaze stiffened. "I guess you're right," he said stiffly. "I shouldn't have said anything." Without explaining further, her father turned and padded off.

Silentpaw blinked in surprise. "What was that all about?"

"Don't ask me." Jayfeather stood too, his paws moving stiffly, as if he too were bothered by whatever had set Lionblaze off.

"But you can read his mind," Silentpaw pointed out jokingly.

Jayfeather didn't seem in the mood to joke. "Try figuring it out yourself for once. I'm not some slave who reads minds at will." He stormed off too, leaving Silentpaw totally baffled.

The she-cat deflated, her good mood fading. Ever since her return from RiverClan, cats had been treating her differently. She could handle it, mostly. Sparkpaw ignoring her and Spiderleg and other warriors dropping hints about her having divided loyalties weren't fun, but she could deal with it. She knew on a certain level she deserved to be mistrusted after leaving without telling anybody like that. But it hurt so much more when it was the cats she cared about most. Blazepaw barely even looked at her these days. Lionblaze and Jayfeather avoided her too, or else acted all stiff and angry. Silentpaw knew she had betrayed ThunderClan's trust by leaving like that, but this anger seemed to be about more than that. She just wished they would tell her what was wrong.

As she mused about her family, another cat approached the apprentice. "Silentpaw," Ivypool greeted. "You ready for tonight?"

Silentpaw perked her ears. At least Ivypool seemed to mostly be treating her the same. "You heard?"

"Bramblestar told me," her mentor explained. "He also told me that you're back to training. What do you say we start battle training right after the Gathering?"

She gaped at her mentor. After two full moons of training, Ivypool had never once given her a battle session. Her bad experiences with the Dark Forest and her misgivings about such fierce training had held her back. Silentpaw had understood it, and in the end her two full moons of hunting training had helped her feed RiverClan during the flood, but she had always longed to learn to defend her Clanmates in battle. And now, four moons into her training, she would finally get to start. "Really? You mean it?"

Ivypool purred in amusement. "Yes. Tomorrow morning. I'll let you sleep in a little since you'll be at the Gathering all night, but be ready after the dawn patrol's return."

"I will be. Thank you, Ivypool!" It took all of Silentpaw's willpower not to go bounding off yowling with joy. She was finally going to learn from the second best fighter in ThunderClan!

Her mentor's whiskers twitched. "You're welcome." She flicked her tail, telling her apprentice, "I won't train you as hard as I would have a Dark Forest apprentice. Their training was barbaric and dangerous. But our training will still be tough. I will be passing on everything your mother taught me, and even what I learned in the Dark Forest, from some of the most dangerous warriors that have ever walked the forest. I expect you to put all your efforts into your training."

Silentpaw dipped her head, promising, "I will. All I want is to learn to protect my Clanmates in the best way I can."

Above them, Bramblestar finally emerged from his den, coming to stand on the High Ledge. The leader looked down at the cats below, seeking out those he had already chosen. He began calling out names, Silentpaw's included. Snowfall and Ambertalon were among those chosen, as well as Lightpaw and Sparkpaw. There hadn't been a Gathering since they had become apprentices – even thought their training had begun two moons ago, they were getting their announcement at the Gathering tonight.

Bramblestar leaped down from the High Ledge, coming to stand at the camp's entrance. "ThunderClan, let's go!" With a wave of his tail, he led the warriors he'd chosen out of the camp and into the woods. As they headed towards WindClan's territory, Silentpaw curled her tail, padding next to her mentor with a lightness to her step. Her punishment was at an end. She could continue to learn to be a full warrior of ThunderClan, and tonight, she would be allowed to visit her friends from other Clans. Things were starting to look up.

* * *

Ack, this is just unbearably short. But I'll try to make the next few chapters longer to make up for it.

Anyway, Silentpaw gets to go to the Gathering, yay! Next chapter will continue the Gathering, with Blazepaw's POV.

Silentpaw seems to be noticing that cats are treating her differently. We'll go more into that later.


	5. Chapter Three

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Three

Blazepaw padded along beside his mentor, tail flicking side to side in a steady, anxious rhythm. Bumblestripe glanced back at him. "Are you alright?"

He shook his head. "Yeah," he told Bumblestripe. "Just thinking."

"Worried about the gathering?" the warrior asked. Blazepaw nodded. The warrior gave a knowing twitch of his whiskers. "It'll be fine. The Clans have been at peace for moons. And I doubt there'll be any new flooding. We haven't seen heavy raining in the last moon." Bumblestripe brushed his tail against his apprentice's shoulder, assuring him, "This should go much better than your first Gathering."

The apprentice nodded absently. While bad memories of the flood that had disturbed the last Gathering were certainly on his mind, they weren't his main concern. His fear had to do with his own Clanmates.

He could see his sister now, walking beside Ivypool. The black she-cat was chatting with her mentor, her white blaze glowing in the moonlight and her gray eyes lit up with joy as she chattered about something. Earlier, she had asked Bramblestar to go to the Gathering, and for whatever reason he'd said yes. Now she was going to be talking and laughing with her RiverClan friends where her Clanmates could see. Their trust in her was shaky enough as it was. He didn't want to see her own Clanmates glaring at her as if she were a traitor. But it seemed he had little choice.

Bramblestar led his Clanmates out of the woods and into WindClan's moor. Blazepaw stiffened as the trees were replaced by an endless, open sky. He felt far too exposed in the open like this, and judging by his Clanmates' reactions, so did they. As they walked along, he saw Bramblestar slow to walk beside his sister. "Where have they built this bridge?" he asked in a low voice.

"About where the tree-bridge used to be," the apprentice told him, "where the gap between the island and the shore is shortest." Bramblestar nodded thoughtfully, trotting off to take up the lead again. Blazepaw shuddered as he remembered his sister had helped build the new bridge. The thought of having to dive into the water over and over again to deliver pebbles was terrifying. As much as his sister hated climbing trees, he despised swimming.

They passed through WindClan territory, following the lake's edge through the rising and dipping moor. "No WindClan scents," Blazepaw remarked to his mentor. "They must not have set out yet."

Bumblestripe nodded. "Perhaps we'll be the first ones there. We could be the first to test the new pebble-bridge."

Blazepaw had to suppress a shudder. The tree-bridge that had connected the mainland to the Gathering islands for seasons had been washed away by the storm at his first Gathering, washing up on ShadowClan's shore a few days later. How could any cat trust this bridge to be more sturdy than the last?

The ThunderClan cats stiffed as they passed by the horseplace. Silentpaw lifted her head, sniffing curiously, but Ivypool hurried her along. Blazepaw stared at the huge dens and strange, stone-footed creatures uneasily. He didn't understand his sister's fascination. Even after a moon of living in an abandoned twoleg nest, he felt nothing but fear when he looked upon the horseplace, with the fresh reek of twoleg and the horses everywhere. He knew Daisy had once lived here, but he couldn't understand how any cat could live among such terrifying scents and creatures.

Finally, they left the horseplace behind and entered into RiverClan's territory. Silentpaw stiffened, ears perking with delight as she entered into the familiar territory. "Come on, it's this way!" She bounded past the rest of the cats, earning a few hisses and glares. It was clear her Clanmates weren't impressed with her close knowledge of RiverClan's territory, and Blazepaw couldn't help but feel the same. She had almost looked more excited to be in RiverClan territory than her own forest.

Reluctantly, Bramblestar and his warriors followed the young apprentice, letting her lead them along the lake's edge. They finally reached the section where the mainland and the island were closest together. Blazepaw perked his ears, peering past his Clanmates with interest. Where the tree-bridge had once lied across the water, there was a now a long, thin line of pebbles across the water. It was wide enough for two or three cats to walk side-by side comfortably, and it rose about a mouse-length above the water.

Silentpaw was the first to reach the bridge. She stepped halfway out onto the rocks, testing the surface with her paws. Her tail curled in delight. "They finished it!" she announced to her Clan. "It feels solid, it should be safe to cross." To prove her point, she walked briskly across the bridge, not slowing or faltering until she'd reached the island.

Bramblestar's tail was lashing. Blazepaw guessed he wasn't pleased Silentpaw had gone across without waiting for his order. But he didn't say anything. Instead, he turned to his warriors and told them, "Everyone will cross slowly, apprentices with their mentors." He made his way out onto the bridge, putting one paw carefully in front of the other. The hefty ThunderClan leader was clearly anxious about the bridge taking his weight, but he managed to get across without issue.

A few more warriors crossed, then it was Blazepaw and Bumblestripe's turn. The fluffy tabby laid a comforting tail across his apprentice's back. "Just stay close to me," he told Blazepaw. "We'll be fine." Blazepaw nodded, trying to feel his mentor's confidence. Side by side, the warrior and apprentice stepped out onto the pebble-bridge.

The first thing Blazepaw noticed was that the rock was wet and slick under his paws. It wasn't just rock either; mud and dirt had been laid over it, making it smoother and helping it stay together as the warriors put their weight on it. He could see small rocks and large rocks mixed in alike, and they seemed to go far down below the lake's surface. The mud and rock felt slimy and strange under his paws, but the bridge seemed stable for now. He and Bumblestripe got across without any issue. Blazepaw was still very glad to be back on solid ground when they reached the other side, however.

Silentpaw was waiting for him when he reached the other side. "Told you there was nothing to worry about," she purred. "Come on, there's cats I want you to meet." Warily, Blazepaw followed his sister further into the island, giving Bumblestripe a final flick of his tail as he padded away. He would have rather stayed by his mentor, but someone needed to watch Silentpaw and make sure she didn't do anything too rash. Besides, his Clanmates might feel better if she was seen in the company of a ThunderClan cat, rather than just other warriors.

Cats were already milling around the island, murmuring to each other in the moonlight. By the scent, RiverClan was already here, but WindClan and ShadowClan were not. His nostrils were full of fish-scent and the stink of wet fur. Silentpaw didn't seem bothered bit. Cats began to look up as Silentpaw and Blazepaw approached them.

"Silentpaw!" Cats that Blazepaw had never met were suddenly surrounding his sister, purring and nuzzling. He could see some of the older warriors hanging back, but most of the younger cats were greeting Silentpaw. It was a shocking sight. He had never seen cats from enemy Clans act this way before. And judging by the shocked reactions of his Clanmates as they filed onto the island behind him, neither had they. He could see Berrynose glaring at Silentpaw, and Rosepetal ignoring her completely as she went to speak to a group of RiverClan warriors.

Eventually, the RiverClan cats seemed to notice they were being watched. They drew away from Silentpaw, their greetings turning cold. Only a dark tom with white paws and a gray she-cat remained, mewing excited greetings to her. "How've you been?" the tom asked, blue eyes bright with joy.

Silentpaw purred. "Pretty well. How about you?" She introduced her brother to the warriors, Pondbreeze and Leafdrift she called them, but Blazepaw hung back. Now that RiverClan seemed to be cooling towards her in the face of so many other cats watching them, Leafdrift and Pondbreeze's friendly greeting stood out painfully. Their loud, friendly greeting was being noticed by every cat. It was just as bad as he'd feared it would be. He could see the suspicion in the eyes of his Clanmates, how they glared at Silentpaw and whispered to each other. Blazepaw did his best to glare back, but in truth, he shared their worries. How could Silentpaw be so mouse-brained? She wasn't a kit anymore, she couldn't just be everyone's friend. Things didn't work that way. Cats were going to start doubting her loyalty if she kept this up, and he didn't want that to happen to his sister.

Luckily, Pondbreeze and Leafdrift padded off soon, rejoining their Clanmates. Blazepaw let out a relieved breath, which Silentpaw seemed to hear. Her gray eyes narrowed. "You didn't like them much, did you?" she guessed.

Blazepaw shook his head irritably. "It's not that," he said. "You should be a little more careful how friendly you look with other Clan cats, that's all." He flicked an ear towards Spiderleg, who was glaring at the apprentice from across the clearing. Spiderleg's tail lashed as the apprentices noticed him, but he didn't look away.

Silentpaw just snorted. "Let them see," she replied. "I'm not about to ignore my friends because a few elders get stuffy about it."

Before Blazepaw could argue again, they were approached by a dark gray tom with sleek fur. His lower fangs jutted out; Blazepaw recognized him as Eelpaw, the cat who had helped him cross the lake after the Gathering, and the cat Dovewing had often seen Silentpaw with.

Blazepaw was instantly suspicious, but Silentpaw approached the tom with a mew of glee, touching her nose to his. "Eelpaw! It's great to see you again."

"Eelpaw?" the tom mewed gruffly. "I don't know any Eelpaw. It's Eel_tooth_, and I'll thank you to remember that." Blazepaw stiffened as his unfriendly tone.

But Silentpaw didn't seem bothered. She just purred in delight. "You're a warrior already? That's great!" She butted her head against the tom's neck in a friendly gesture. Eeltooth's gruff air melted, and he purred as he greeted his ThunderClan friend. Blazepaw hovered nearby, anxious.

Silentpaw finally seemed to remember he was there. "Oh! Eeltooth, this is Blazepaw. Blazepaw, Eeltooth. I think you already met, at the last Gathering?"

Blazepaw nodded wearily. "I remember," he said.

Eeltooth stiffened at Blazepaw's tone, then gave a quick shake of his head. His tone was gruffly friendly as he greeted, "Silentpaw told me a lot about you. It's nice to meet you, again."

"Likewise," Blazepaw mewed, although he wasn't sure he liked the sound of Silentpaw gossiping about him with RiverClan cats.

A small figure padded beside Eeltooth, looking nervous. Eeltooth pushed him towards Silentpaw with a paw. "There's someone else I figured you'd want to see," he grunted.

Silentpaw gave a sniff, eyes widening in delight. "Lakekit!"

"Lakepaw," the young tom corrected. The blue-gray tom's green eyes were full of anxiety, but he seemed comfortable enough with Silentpaw. "I'm an apprentice now. Reedwhisker's my mentor."

The black she-cat crouched before the young cat, giving him a friendly touch of her nose. "That's wonderful. It sounds like you got a great mentor." She flicked her tail, asking, "Still practicing those moves I showed you?"

Lakepaw nodded. "Every day," he promised. "I'm getting better at catching squirrels, and I got a bird the other day." He glanced over his shoulder. "I promised Reedwhisker I'd stay by his side, but I just wanted to say hi quick."

"I understand," Silentpaw mewed. She butted her muzzle against his shoulder, then rose to her paws. "Go on, don't keep Reedwhisker waiting. And keep practicing that crouch!"

He dipped his head. "I will," he promised. His tail curled, he bounded off to join his mentor.

Silentpaw flicked her ear, looking pleased, then turned back to Eeltooth. "Where's Finpaw?" she asked curiously.

"It's Fin_strike_, thanks." Blazepaw and Silentpaw both whirled around in surprise. The sleek she-cat had managed to sneak up on both of them. She was nearly identical to her brother, but without the exposed fangs, and with a pelt that was a touch darker than Eeltooth's. Her expression seemed just as unpleasant as last time Blazepaw had met her.

He tensed, ready to retort, but Silentpaw beat him to it. To his surprise, she approached the she-cat, touching noses with her. "Congratulations!" she purred. "If anyone deserves to be warriors, it's you two."

Finstrike didn't seem as delighted as her brother to be greeted by Silentpaw, but her tone wasn't nearly as unpleasant as she replied, "Thank you."

Before Blazepaw could be introduced again, every cat was distracted by the sound of more cats crossing the bridge onto the island. Skinny WindClan cats began weaving between the other warriors, making the island seem more crowded. Blazepaw hardly had time to say anything before they were approached by two of the warriors.

"Silentpaw!" A gray blur tackled his sister, nearly knocking her over with the enthusiasm of her greeting. Blazepaw tensed, ready for a fight, but Silentpaw was purring delight as the dark-pelted warrior touched noses with her eagerly.

"It's great to see you again, Darkbreeze," Silentpaw purred. She turned back to her brother. "Blazepaw, this is Darkbreeze. She's our kin!" Blazepaw blinked in surprise. Darkbreeze was the daughter of the traitor Breezepelt, their father's half-brother. He hadn't realized she and Silentpaw were friends.

As Darkbreeze, Eeltooth, and Silentpaw began chatting, the other WindClan warrior approached Blazepaw. Judging by her similar scent and build to Darkbreeze, she was her sister, Nightfern. "I think we should leave them to their talk," she mewed in a softer voice than her sister's.

Blazepaw hesitated. He'd wanted to keep an eye on Silentpaw during the Gathering and make sure that she didn't do anything to anger her Clanmates too much. Now, however, he realized that being here wasn't going to stop Silentpaw from being rash. He sighed, and nodded. "Alright." He, Nightfern, and Finstrike padded off, joining a small group of warriors.

One of them, the RiverClan warrior Leafdrift, was talking to a couple WindClan warriors. "ShadowClan's running late tonight," she remarked. "That illness must be causing them more grief than they let on." Nightfern glanced around anxiously, then slunk off. Blazepaw wasn't surprise. She had seemed pretty shy, and this was a very large group of cats.

Blazepaw's ear perked with interest. "Illness?" he repeated curiously. Had some sort of sickness taken over ShadowClan? "How many cats are ill?"

Leafdrift looked at him in surprise. "Hmm? Oh, it's not that kind of illness. Rowanstar fell ill a few moons back. It took many of his lives, apparently. The last time we visited their camp to tell them the pebble-bridge was done, Rowanstar was dead. The last I heard, no other cat had fallen ill, but perhaps it's spread."

"He's _dead?_" Blazepaw was stunned. Rowanstar had seemed a little thin when he'd visited ThunderClan over a moon ago, but he'd assumed that had just been because of his worry over his missing mate. He hadn't even been moon for a season yet, and now he was dead. He couldn't imagine what kind of illness had taken so many of his lives. "Is Oakstar the new leader, then?" Oakfur was one of the oldest cats in the Clans, and not doing well, last Blazepaw had heard. Would he be be up to the task of leading a Clan?

Leafdrift shook her head. "Oakfur died before Rowanstar did," she explained. "Not long after the flood."

There were murmurs of surprise from the other cats. "Then who is ShadowClan's leader now?" Finstrike asked.

"It's – " Leafdrift was cut off as new warriors poured onto the island, stinking of pine and marsh. ShadowClan had arrived. "Well. See for yourself," the gray warrior finished.

Blazepaw craned his head, trying to see past the taller warriors. He couldn't see which cat had led ShadowClan across the pebble-bridge. Murmurs of surprise rippled through the crowd, and cats shifted to let the new leader approach the Gathering tree. Bramblestar, Mistystar, and Ashstar were already atop the branches. With a powerful leap, a dark, powerful shape pulled himself up beside them.

Framed by the cold light of the moon, Blazepaw saw the powerful shoulders and broad head of the cat who had climbed up the tree to stand beside Bramblestar. The newcomer stood side by side with ThunderClan's leader, so alike in looks that they could have easily been reflections of the same cat. And with a cold shiver of shock, Blazepaw realized that the new leader of ShadowClan was Tigerheart.

* * *

Disclaimer: The last paragraph is adapted from the last paragraph in Rising Storm, I did this as a tribute to the book and to highlight the parallel.

Here's one I've been wanting to write for a long time. A lot of new developments. This chapter is also part of the reason I didn't want to post the allegiances. Rowanstar is still listed as the leader on it, because he's still alive at the start, and Oakfur is because it's just easier, but all the new warriors and apprentices are on the list. What do you think of Eeltooth and Finstrike's nams, and of Ambertalon and Snowfall's for that matter?

Eeltooth was named for his bottom teeth, which stick out due to his underbite. I drew his bio a long time ago, before I realized he would look better with an underbite. He also no longer has the pale patches he did in his bio. Finstrike was named that because of her ferocity and quick hunting.

Lakepaw is now an apprentice, with the deputy as his mentor, the lucky cat.

And the biggest shock of all, Rowanstar and Oakfur are both dead, and Tigerheart is now the leader of ShadowClan. How did Rowanstar die? Why did it happen so quickly and take so many of his lives? Those questions will be explored next chapter.

Did I make Tigerheart the leader of ShadowClan purely because it would be funny to have another Tigerstar of ShadowClan who looks identical to the old one but has a completely opposite temperament? Yes.

Do I regret this decision at all? No I do not.

Am I going to expand this beyond simply being a fun coincidence and actually develop Tigerheart as a leader and explore the effects of this and make it actually effect the plot? Absolutely.


	6. Chapter Four

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Four

The gathered Clans instantly broke into shocked murmurs. Every cat knew Tigerheart was a different cat from the dark warrior who shared his name. He had spied on the Dark Forest just as Ivypool had, and he was highly respected for it. But for all that they knew that, no cat could help but feel a shudder of unease to know that a Tigerstar was once again leading ShadowClan.

Tigerheart stood before the Clans, his broad head held high. "I am Tigerstar," he announced to the cats below. "Rowanstar fell ill a few moons ago. He suffered from great pain in his head, some illness that no herb seemed to heal. Even after he lost a life, the illness would seem to return. Before his death, he named me the deputy of ShadowClan. I will follow my father's legacy. Though his time as ShadowClan's leader was short, he will always be remembered as a strong leader, always putting the needs of his Clan first, as will my mother, also lost to the flood." Blazepaw flinched, remembering Tawnypelt's horrible death.

The newly named Tigerstar's head and tail were held high with confidence. Blazepaw had never met the old Tigerstar, but looking upon this new leader, and the identical Bramblestar beside him, he couldn't shake the thought of the bloodthirsty leader. Many cats seemed to feel the same ,judging by their murmuring. Every cat had heard the stories about the dark leader, and all of the leaders were old enough to have known the old Tigerstar in life. Bramblestar was staring at the new Tigerstar uncertainly, as if unsure how to react for the leader was so identical in name and appearance to his murderous father.

If the leaders felt any apprehension about the new leader, none of them said anything. "Welcome, Tigerstar," Mistystar mewed clearly. "StarClan will receive Rowanstar and Tawnypelt with honor. May you serve ShadowClan with the same strength and wisdom that he did." Bramblestar and Ashstar murmured similar sentiments, dipping their heads to the new leader.

Tigerstar dipped his head to them as well, then allowed Bramblestar to step forward. "Cats of all Clans, after two moons, we have once again gathered under Silverpelt. The tree-bridge was washed away in the flood, but Mistystar and her warriors have worked hard for over a moon to provide us with our new bridge of pebbles. We thank them now for this new path to the island."

"RiverClan! RiverClan!" Blazepaw craned his head, trying to see his sister through the crowd. His stomach clenched as he saw her with her muzzle raised to the sky, joyfully calling out RiverClan's name along with the crowd.

When the cheers died down, Bramblestar continued, "StarClan will be pleased that we can once again gather, as the warrior code commands us to. The success of the new bridge is a sign that the flood is over, and we have have weathered it, just as we weather all things. Let the Gathering begin once again." He stepped back, allowing Tigerstar to speak first.

The dark tabby lifted his head, voice ringing out clearly. "I stand before you now as the new leader of ShadowClan. The new deputy is Olivenose."

That got an even bigger reaction. A WindClan warrior near Blazepaw mewed in surprise, "Tigerstar made his own mate the deputy?" Blazepaw blinked. He could see the tortoiseshell warrior sitting by the base of the Great Tree, staring evenly at all the cats muttering about her. Olivenose had been one of the cats to accompany Rowanstar to ThunderClan to pick up Dewfrost. He didn't know much else about her, other than that she was Tigerstar's mate and one of ShadowClan's senior warriors. Her green gaze held a steely look as she met the murmured challenges of the watching cats.

He mewed back, "She looks tough. I wouldn't want to mess with her in battle." The warrior grunted in agreement. A long scar stretched along the new deputy's cheek, giving her a dangerous appearance.

Tigerstar continued, "We have one new warrior this moon. Stoneclaw earned his name after completing his final assessment. We also have new apprentices. Smokepaw, Stripedpaw, Minkpaw, and Adderpaw have all left the nursery and begun their training."

Cheers rose from the crowd for the new warrior and apprentices. Blazepaw recognized two of the cats as the kits of Dawnpelt, Tigerstar's sister. Smokepaw was a darker shade of her mother's cream pelt, with the same soft fur. Stripedpaw, however, was a dark tabby like Tigerstar. The old Tigerstar continued to ripple through the Clans, leaving shadows of himself behind. Blazepaw suddenly found himself very glad that Firestar had destroyed Tigerstar's spirit before his death. The last thing the Clans needed right now was the old Tigerstar stalking the dreams of his new kin.

Tigerstar stepped down, allowing Bramblestar to make his announcements. The ThunderClan leader called out, "ThunderClan brings two new warriors tonight. Dewpaw died in the flood, as did Petalkit, but Snowfall and Ambertalon have earned their full names. We also have new apprentices. Lightpaw and Sparkpaw will be mentored by Birchfall and Cinderheart."

"Snowfall! Ambertalon! Sparkpaw! Lightpaw!" Blazepaw could see the two warriors standing proudly in the crowd, heads held high as their names were called. Sparkpaw was standing nearby too, his chest puffed out proudly, but Lightpaw looked petrified at the sheer number of cats now looking at him. Blazepaw's whiskers twitched in amusement.

"StarClan has blessed us with many new kits," Bramblestar continued. "Dovewing and Squirrelflight both brought healthy litters to the Clan during the flood." He hesitated, then continued carefully, "Tawnypelt and Rowanstar's kits are being raised as warriors of ThunderClan. We thank ShadowClan for allowing Squirrelflight to raise them. Now that both of their parents are gone, they will have a true family in ThunderClan." It was clear he didn't want to reveal Rowanstar's strange gift, but he felt he had little choice. The truth would get out eventually, better to get it out there and face the challenges and questions now.

Yowls of shock rang out from the crowd. Cats were crying out questions and yowling in outrage.

"Rowanstar's kits!"  
"Why aren't ShadowClan raising them?!"  
"Did ThunderClan steal them?!"  
"How could Rowanstar abandon them?!"

Blazepaw listened in silence. It had just occurred to him now that with Tigerstar's announcement, he was able to understand Rowanstar's choice more. Rowanstar had known he was dying. He had known that if he'd taken his kits back to ShadowClan, in a few moons they wouldn't have had a father. Perhaps he'd thought Shadowkit and Sunnykit would be better off being raised by experienced parents who already had a kit of their own than by their own brother and sister.

Tigerstar raised his tail, signaling for silence. "You are welcome, Bramblestar," he mewed clearly. "We are grateful to ThunderClan for nursing these kits."

Uneasy murmurs rippled among the ThunderClan warriors. Nearby, Seedlight muttered, "He sounds like we're only caring for the kits temporarily." Blazepaw's tail flicked, consumed by the same worry. Would Tigerstar try to take the kits?

But he said nothing more, merely stepping back so another leader could speak. Ashstar stepped forward next. She announced a new queen in the nursery and some rogue scents, but Blazepaw tuned her out. He could still hear cats grumbling about Rowanstar's kits being raised in ThunderClan. Everyone still had questions, and neither Tigerstar or Bramblestar had given many answers. The WindClan warrior who had questioned Olivenose as deputy was staring between Bramblestar and Tigerstar, as if not sure which one to be more shocked by, and he saw some nearby RiverClan warriors speaking in low whispers, shooting glances up at Tigerstar.

Finally, it was Mistystar's turn. She raised her head, her cool, ice-blue eyes clear with pride. "We have three new warriors tonight!" she called out to the Clans. "Yarrowleaf, Eeltooth, and Finstrike are all here as full warriors. We also have a new apprentice. Lakepaw will be mentored by myself."

Cats began cheering again, with more warmth than for ShadowClan's new warriors. "Eeltooth! Yarrowleaf! Finstrike! Lakepaw!" Blazepaw could see Eeltooth, still standing by Silentpaw. He held his head up proudly as his name was called. Silentpaw mewed something eagerly to him, touching her nose to his cheek. Blazepaw was surprised by the affectionate gesture.

Mistystar's voice turned hard as she continued, "Tigerstar, we welcome you as a new leader. We hope now that the flood is over and things are settled again, that your cats will remember how to keep to their own territory." It was a warning, saying what she meant without really saying it. Blazepaw's ears perked with interest. ShadowClan had been stealing prey before the last Gathering, they must still be up to it if Mistystar was bringing it up again. Hopefully, Tigerstar would take the warning. There didn't need to be any more fighting between the Clans at the moment. Everyone was still recovering from the flood and preparing for a hard leafbare.

However, Tigerstar apparently wasn't in the mood to be subtle. The fur on his back bristled, and he turned a sharp, amber glare on RiverClan's leader. "How dare you?" he hissed. "ShadowClan hasn't stolen so much as a mouse!"

Mistystar seemed surprised by Tigerstar's sudden burst of anger, but she recovered quickly. "My warriors have been finding ShadowClan scents over our border for moons now," she mewed tersely. "We have not taken action so far. But now the flood is over, and ShadowClan is under new leadership. You should be able to feed yourself on your own territory. I am giving you this chance to end this with some grace. Stop hunting over our borders, and we will not have any reason to attack."

Tigerstar lashed his tail. "Is that a threat?"

"It's a generous offer," Mistystar hissed. "You would be wise to take it. If you do not, the next ShadowClan patrol that sets paw on RiverClan territory will be met with claws and fangs. We will not allow our prey to be taken."

The dark tabby lifted his chin sharply. "Maybe you're the ones stealing prey," he hissed. "Your threats will be met, Mistystar. If you're determined for there to be battle, you'll have it."

"How dare you?!" The blue-gray leader had always seemed so calm when Blazepaw had seen her before. But now her ice-blue eyes blazed with all the fury of TigerClan. Blazepaw suddenly had a very good idea of why she had been made leader. "RiverClan has stolen_nothing!_ If your response to a simple warning is to accuse us instead, then you will make a poor leader indeed!" The last words were spat with a pure, hateful venom. Mistystar was the oldest leader in the forest, but right now, bristling with indignant fury, she looked like a warrior of LionClan. He didn't understand how Tigerstar could continue to stare her down in the face of that.

Blazepaw's pelt was bristling. He muttered to the nearby WindClan warrior, "What's Tigerstar being so aggressive for? Will he really start a fight at a gathering?"

"I hope not," the warrior, a gray she-cat named Larksong, mewed. "Surely no leader would be that mouse-brained?"

He hoped she was right. Normally, at a Gathering, leaders would pass subtle jabs back and forth, only rising to real argument if the situation was dire. A few ShadowClan cats stealing prey was more cause for Mistystar to get riled up, not Tigerstar. If he'd just made some sort of subtle reply to get the last word in, that would have been the end of it.

Up on the Great Tree, Bramblestar growled, "That's enough." Both leaders had dropped into a crouch, pelts bristling and tails lashing. "The Gathering is a time for peace. Even a new leader should know that, Tigerstar." The ShadowClan leader looked outraged, but Bramblestar silenced him with a quick snarl. "There will be no fighting here tonight."

Mistystar and Tigerstar began to lower their hackles. They clearly weren't happy with each other, but it seemed they weren't going to tear each others fur off at the moment. Blazepaw hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath until he released it, his tensed posture loosening. The threat of battle had passed. But many cats clearly weren't happy. He saw RiverClan cats and ShadowClan cats who had previously been sharing tongues now bristling at each other. Wetwhisker and Specklefoot were spitting at Heronstrike, and Lakepaw was quaking under the glare of Smokefoot. Blazepaw's attention was caught by a particular ShadowClan warrior. A gray she-cat she didn't know was glaring up at the Great Tree with narrowed eyes. Blazepaw followed her gaze, surprised to see her glare was directed at her own leader.

He nudged Larksong, asking, "Who's that gray warrior?"

Larksong followed his gaze. "Her? Oh, that's Shrewfoot. She's Blackstar's daughter. She's pretty young, but she's well respected. I've heard she's one to keep your eye on in battle.

_Blackstar's daughter._ Blazepaw's interest was sharpened. He could see now that the she-cat had striking black paws, probably inherited from her father. Blackstar had died before Blazepaw and Silentpaw had been born, but he'd heard how powerful and unyielding a leader he could be. He could see that strength and pride in Shrewfoot's stance now. The way she so openly glared at her own leader sent shivers down Blazepaw's spine.

His attention on her was distracted as Bramblestar spoke again. "This Gathering has ended." He leaped down from his branch on the Great Tree. Tigerstar and Mistystar shared one last glare, then hopped down as well, followed by Ashstar. The crowd began to break up.

"Blazepaw!" The apprentice looked up to see Bumblestripe padding towards him. "Did you have a good time?"

Blazepaw shrugged. "As well as I could," he answered honestly. "Mostly just glad that cats didn't start fighting."

"I know what you mean. It takes a lot for Mistystar to get that angry," Bumblestripe agreed.

The apprentice glanced back anxiously at Tigerstar. The dark tabby was conversing with his deputy. Tigerstar still seemed agitated, but Olivenose's expression was as stony as ever. "What was Tigerstar thinking?" he wondered aloud. "There was no reason to pick a fight like that."

Bumblestripe shrugged, flicking his tail. "He is a new leader," he pointed out. "ShadowClan must have suffered as much from the flood as we did, and the last thing Rowanstar did was give ShadowClan kits to another Clan. He's probably desperate to prove that he can be as strong a leader as ShadowClan needs."

"I guess. But he's going about it completely the wrong way." Blazepaw felt a cold shiver run down all the way to his tail. "If he doesn't stop antagonizing leaders, he's going to find a battle patrol on his territory before you can say 'mouse.'"

"There might be battle regardless," Bumblestripe pointed out grimly. "If ShadowClan cats truly are stealing as much prey as Mistystar says, she's not going to let them get away with it for long. Your sister's help has made them stronger. Now that the flood's over, they'll be strong enough to defend their territory."

The apprentice bristled uncomfortably at the mention of his sister's visit to RiverClan. For once, however, that wasn't the biggest worry on his mind. Bumblestripe was right. If Tigerstar continued to be as aggressive as he was, and if ShadowClan warriors continued to take prey from RiverClan's territory, then there would be no way to avoid battle.

A sudden fear gripped his heart. "Do you think he'd try to take our prey too?" ThunderClan was the only other Clan to share a border with ShadowClan. If Tigerstar decided that RiverClan's borders were too well defended, would he try hunting in ThunderClan's forests instead?

Bumblestripe paused, looking thoughtful. "It's certainly possible," he mewed. "But let's worry about that when we come to it. And don't worry. I'll teach you how to defend yourself in battle, so that if ShadowClan does become greedy, you'll know what to do."

Blazepaw nodded, but in his heart he still felt uneasy. The peace that had reigned between the four Clans in the season since the Dark Battle suddenly seemed as frail as a cobweb. If one cat made the wrong move, the peace would shatter, and the Clans would be thrown into battle.

* * *

*whacks Blazepaw over the head with a newspaper*

Bad Blazepaw! Stop worrying about every little thing! You're going to change the name to Worriers, not Warriors, as one of the author's kids once said.

And so now we get a little insight into why Rowanstar gave his kits to ThunderClan. ^^ He knew he was dying. For the record, he had cancer. The cancer came back after he lost his lives, just like cancer sometimes comes back.

We also have a lot of new warriors and apprentices. Also, Olivenose is Tigerstar's mate, and new deputy.

The next chapter will be Silentpaw, and we'll still be at the Gathering, though it will be just about finished.


	7. Chapter Five

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Five

Silentpaw lingered with her friends after the meeting broke up. She, Darkbreeze, and Eeltooth huddled together, murmuring about what the leaders had said.

"Why in StarClan was Tigerstar being so aggressive?" Silentpaw wondered aloud. The new ShadowClan leader hadn't needed to push things like that, certainly not at a Gathering. She had no idea what he must have been thinking. Was he mouse-brained, or did he really want a fight?

Eeltooth shook his head. "StarClan knows," he grunted. "I just hope he's better at keeping his cats off our territory than Rowanstar. We've been finding squirrel blood and feathers for a few moons now."

"And Mistystar hasn't reacted before this?" Darkbreeze asked in surprise.

The tom stiffened, then relaxed with a shrug. He answered honestly, "We were too busy trying to feed ourselves to worry about fighting anyone. But now the fish are coming back. We're strong enough to take on any patrol that sets paw on our territory."

Darkbreeze shuddered. "I'm just glad we're across the lake from him," she admitted. "All this talk of stolen prey, and you saw how Tigerstar was tonight." She gave a flick of her thin tail. "I guarantee, Tigerstar becoming leader just means things are going to get worse. He doesn't seem to have any idea how to lead a Clan."

"Well, this was only his first Gathering," Silentpaw argued. "Give him a chance. Maybe he'll get better at it. He wasn't deputy for very long, after all."

Eeltooth growled low in his throat. "Maybe. But my Clan can't just sit around and wait for that to happen. If I know Mistystar, the next time we find ShadowClan scents on our territory, we won't just sit back and do nothing. There'll be battle before you can say 'fish.' If Tigerstar's so desperate to get his ears shredded, he's got it."

The words sent chills all the way down to Silentpaw's tail. There hadn't been battle between the Clans for over a season, but now it looked like that peace was finally breaking. "I know," she said. "I just hope it doesn't come to that." She touched noses with Eeltooth, mewing, "Good luck, Eeltooth. If battle can't be avoided, be careful."

Eeltooth drew himself up proudly. "Don't worry about me," he told her. "I'm a warrior now, remember?" He rose to his paws, shaking the pine needles out of his pelt. "I have to go, Mistystar's going to want us to leave soon. See you next moon?"

"See you next moon," Silentpaw purred, Darkbreeze echoing her.

The WindClan warrior added, "You better finish that story about the time you and Finstrike got chased by a heron next time."

"Deal," Eeltooth agreed, tone lighter now with amusement. He padded off, past the ferns, to rejoin his Clanmates.

Darkbreeze stood as well, stretching out her limbs. "Mmmph, time for a cold walk back to camp," she complained. "Never was a big fan of leafbare." She flicked her tail, tone becoming curious. "You said Bramblestar's letting you leave camp again?"

Silentpaw nodded. "Yeah. Want to meet up sometime?" Before leaving RiverClan behind, she and Darkbreeze had discussed meeting at the border on occasion to chat. Her Clanmates probably wouldn't like the idea of her meeting a WindClan warrior and being such good friends with her, but Silentpaw could really care less. They were already mad enough at her for her trip to RiverClan, a few meetings with one WindClan cat was hardly going to change that.

"Sounds good to me," Darkbreeze purred. "Three sunrises from now, by the little stream?"

The apprentice rose to her paws. "That works," she told her friend. "See you then." They touched noses once more, then parted ways. Silentpaw padded through the gathered cats, sniffing for her mentor. Her ears perked when she caught Ivypool's scent, only for her to stiffen as she caught Tigerstar's scent as well. The new ShadowClan leader was standing with her mentor, away from the other cats.

"How are things, Ivypool?" Tigerstar's tone was cheerful, completely at odds with the cat who had challenged RiverClan so blatantly only moments before. Silentpaw hung back, confused.

Ivypool lashed her tail. As comfortable as Tigerstar felt around her, the feeling clearly wasn't mutual. "Fine," she mewed warily. "ThunderClan is well."

Tigerstar gave a friendly flick of his tail. "That's good," he said brightly. "How's your sister?" Silentpaw wasn't sure, but she thought the easiness to his tone had tightened a little when he asked about Dovewing.

Her mentor stiffened. "Dovewing and her kits are doing great," she growled, " and so is her _mate._" Silentpaw wasn't sure what was going on here, but she could sense a history between these cats. Did it have something to do with how they'd both spied in the Dark Forest? But how would that involve Dovewing?

Ivypool spoke again, shaking Silentpaw from her thoughts. "And if you don't mind me saying, Tigerstar, I think ShadowClan's new leader should be more concerned with the welfare of his own Clan than some ThunderClan queen." Her tone was more fitting of a mentor scolding a wayward apprentice than a warrior speaking to another Clan's leader. Silentpaw didn't entirely understand what was going on, but she felt a burst of pride for her mentor for not holding back.

The huge leader recoiled as though he'd been struck. "Oh. Well." He hesitated, then shook out his pelt, drawing himself up to his full height. "Good luck to you and your Clan, Ivypool." With that, he turned and lumbered off, tail-tip flicking uneasily.

Silentpaw decided to make her presence known. She lifted her head, calling out, "Ivypool." Her mentor started at the sound of her voice. Her pelt had been bristling as she spoke to Tigerstar, but it began to lie flat as Silentpaw approached her.

"Oh, hello Silentpaw," her mentor mewed, tone calmer now. "I didn't see you. Did you have a good time tonight?"

She nodded. "Talked to some friends," she told her.

Ivypool hesitated, then flicked an ear. "Good," she said, though she didn't sound entirely convinced. "Come on, cats are starting to leave, we better meet Bramblestar back on the shore." She brushed her tail against Silentpaw's shoulder, leading her away from the island and towards the pebble-bridge.

Most of RiverClan had already crossed, judging by the scents left. She could hear a few cats bristling and muttering, the tension between the ShadowClan and RiverClan warriors as thick as lightning in the air. A ShadowClan she-cat shoved past Silentpaw, not even stopping to apologize at Silentpaw's irritable hiss.

Ivypool ignored the bristling cats. She headed briskly across the pebble-bridge, Silentpaw trotting by her side. The warrior kept her head and tail held high, seeming completely uninterested in the tension around her. Silentpaw was impressed by her mentor's attitude. Any cat would think ShadowClan and RiverClan were going to break into battle any moment.

Once they'd crossed the bridge, the Clans went their separate ways. WindClan and RiverClan started off immediately for their camps, and ShadowClan followed the lake the opposite direction. No one seemed to want to travel with the other Clans, and Silentpaw couldn't blame them. ThunderClan began following the lake's edge back into WindClan territory, back towards their own borders. The Clan traveled in tense silence. Even if no threat had been offered to their own Clan, the warriors still seemed uneasy.

Finally, they reached the forest once again. Silentpaw took in a deep breath of forest air, thick scents of oak and redwood and birch everywhere in the air. As much as she missed the scents of fish, the smell of ThunderClan's forest would always be as familiar to her as the scent of her own pelt. She immediately felt more at ease.

When they reached camp, they were greeted by many curious cats. It looked like no cat had been able to sleep while the first Gathering in two moons had commenced.

"What happened?"  
"Was RiverClan there?"  
"Did the new bridge work?"

Bramblestar held up his tail for silence. "Your Clanmates can tell you everything in detail later," he promised. "For now, I have an announcement." He raced across the camp, hurling himself up onto the High Ledge with an impressive bound. Once he was facing his Clanmates again, he yowled, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the High Ledge for a Clan meeting!" Most of the Clan was already gathered, but a few cats wandered from their dens, blinking sleepily. Brightheart settled in beside Silentpaw and Ivypool with a soft greeting, and Dovewing sat nearby. As cats gathered, Silentpaw heard Squirrelflight pass in front of her, heading for the nursery to check on her kits.

Once every cat was gathered, Bramblestar announced, "ShadowClan has a new leader. Rowanstar died last moon, and Oakfur died before him."

Surprised mews rippled through the gathered cats. "Who's the new leader?" Sorreltail rasped.

"Tigerstar," Bramblestar told her.

That definitely got a bigger reaction. Silentpaw could feel Brightheart stiffen beside her, every hair on her pelt trembling. All around them, cats were yowling out questions, shock and fear clear in every voice. Even though Tigerstar's spirit was long dead, the murderous tom still haunted ThunderClan with his memory. The only cat who reacted differently was Dovewing. Silentpaw heard the she-cat stiffen, her pelt quivering with some strong emotion, but it didn't smell like fear.

"_Silence!_" The thunderous yowl was enough to make every cat immediately fall silent. Bramblestar stood atop the High Ledge, bristling with indignant fury. "That is enough! Tigerstar cannot help who he's kin with anymore than I can, or who he looks like. He may share my father's name, but that does not mean he shares the same evil ambitions. Judge him by his own terms."

Silentpaw was shocked at the pure fury in her leader's voice. She had _never_ heard him so angry before. Bramblestar had been leader since before she was born – she had never known him before he was completely accepted by his Clanmates. But she knew he had struggled as a young warrior to prove his loyalty to his Clan. From what her sighted Clanmates could tell her, Bramblestar looked just like his treacherous father, and so did Tigerstar. Bramblestar had long ago proved that he and Tigerstar shared nothing but appearance. But it seemed now that the new Tigerstar faced the same challenge, and Bramblestar wanted to protect him as best as he could.

"He's right." Squirrelflight spoke from beside the nursery's entrance. Silentpaw could hear her kits mewling and bouncing around the deputy's paws. "Tigerstar is his own leader. But that doesn't necessarily make him a good one."

Bramblestar sighed, his anger deflating. "Yes," he admitted. "It seems my kin does not have the restraint of a more experienced leader. When Mistystar accused him and his Clan of stealing prey, he responded with promises of war."

Silentpaw could hear uneasy mews around her. Blossomfall called out, "Do you think he really was stealing prey? Tigerstar may be arrogant, but he's not a thief." With a prickle of surprise, Silentpaw remembered the she-cat had trained with Tigerstar in the Dark Forest.

"If his Clan is desperate enough, perhaps," Bramblestar said. "I doubt Mistystar would lie about something like this."

From further back in the crowd, Poppyfrost asked, "Do you think he'd take from our Clan next?"

"We can't know for sure," Squirrelflight answered. "But let's not leave it to chance. I'll be ordering more patrols by ShadowClan's border, steady patrols from dawn to dusk. If Tigerstar's set on stealing, let's not give him the chance to get so much as a mouse." The tension began to lessen as their deputy laid out a clear plan. Silentpaw could hear cats murmuring to each other, and she could feel the worry in her own heart begin to lessen. ThunderClan would defend their own territory as they always had. This is what these cats had been trained for.

Bramblestar rumbled, "Squirrelflight, set up the patrols for the morning. The rest of you, get some rest. We can't defend our borders if we're too tired to stay on our paws." He leaped down from the High Ledge, signaling the end of the meeting.

Once the meeting was done, Silentpaw headed straight for the apprentice's den. Sparkpaw and Lightpaw were with Blazepaw, speaking in low mutters and whispers. Finchkit was there too, even though he was less than a moon shy of becoming an apprentice.

As she approached, Silentpaw heard the older kit asking, "What did Mistystar say?"

"She accused ShadowClan of stealing prey, and Tigerstar nearly took her head off," Sparkpaw told him. "I thought for sure someone was getting clawed."

Lightpaw nodded, pelt fluffed out uncomfortably. "Are Gatherings always so tense?" he asked quietly.

"No," Blazepaw mewed. "She accused Rowanstar the last Gathering we were at too, but it wasn't nearly as bad. Tigerstar just doesn't seem to have any idea how to handle himself at a Gathering."

Sparkpaw added, "Not to mention he made his own mate the deputy."

Silentpaw settled in with her denmates, sitting in her nest. "Well, so did Bramblestar," she pointed out.

The other apprentice pinned his ears back. He still seemed to find fault with everything Silentpaw did since she'd gotten back. She figured he'd take issue with her breathing at this point. "But Squirrelflight isn't just his mate," he argued. "She helped lead the Clans on the Great Journey. She's a great warrior that's done a lot for the Clan."

"And Olivenose isn't?" Silentpaw countered. "How about we wait and see how she actually does as deputy before we start judging her." Sparkpaw just snorted in response.

Blazepaw spoke again. "It didn't seem like a popular choice with ShadowClan either," he said. "You should have seen how Shrewfoot was glaring at him."

Silentpaw blinked in surprise. She remembered the ShadowClan she-cat that had pushed so rudely past her. The scent matched with the warrior Shrewfoot she had met at the last Gathering. "I think I saw her after the Gathering," she told the other apprentices. "She seemed in a foul enough mood. But why?"

Sparkpaw and Blazepaw shrugged, but Lightpaw spoke in a low voice. "I heard one of the older warriors say that Olivenose hasn't even had an apprentice yet."

"_What?_" That definitely explained the mixed reactions to her appointment as deputy. Not only was she Tigerstar's mate, she hadn't even met all the requirements to be a deputy. Tigerstar had broken the warrior code to show clear and blatant favoritism.

Finchkit's tail bristled in shock. "But that's against the warrior code!" he gasped.

"No wonder Shrewfoot looked snippy about it," Sparkpaw growled. "Can't say that I blame her. He's been leader less than a moon, and Tigerstar's already making all the wrong choices. If he keeps going like this he's not going to have his own Clan's support."

Silentpaw remembered how Shrewfoot's pelt had been bristling as she'd passed her, and Blazepaw's description of her glaring so openly at her own leader. "He might already not have it," she said.

Sparkpaw fluffed out his pelt, snarling low in his throat. "Either way, those frog-eaters better not set paw on our territory," he growled. "I'll rip them apart before I let them take our prey."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Silentpaw said.

Her denmate bristled. "Of course _you'd_ say that," he muttered.

That had Silentpaw instantly on her paws. She glared sightlessly at her denmate, hissing and spitting. "What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

"I think you've made it pretty clear in the past that your first loyalty isn't to ThunderClan," Sparkpaw told her. His hackles were raised, and the growl in his throat had risen in volume. Lightpaw and Finchkit had frozen, clearly uneasy as they watched the apprentices.

She was about ready to pounce at the smug tom and shred his ears. But before either cat could attack first, Blazepaw shoved himself roughly between them. "That's enough," he hissed. "We have enough problems with ShadowClan without us fighting between ourselves. Put your claws away." Silentpaw's brother pushed past them, stalking to his own nest and lying down with a bristling pelt. She could hear the angry lashing of his tail.

Silentpaw's pelt was still stiff with anger, but she forced herself to sheathe her claws. "Fine," she growled. Sparkpaw just ignored her completely, curling up in his nest and pulling his tail tight around his muzzle.

Finchkit hesitated, pelt bristling uncomfortably. "Well. I better get back to the nursery. Hazeltail will be wondering where I am. Night." He scampered out of the apprentice's den. Silentpaw really couldn't blame him for the quick escape – the two apprentices had nearly come to blows. She wasn't sure why she had been so quick to fight this time. Sparkpaw was annoying on a general basis. But this time, his accusations had cut deep. The fear of a battle was making things even more then than Silentpaw had thought.

She circled in her nest a few times before curling up in the moss. Her paws were tucked neatly under her, her tail wrapped around her as she lowered her chin to the ground. As she tried to sleep, she comforted herself with thoughts about tomorrow. Battle between ShadowClan and RiverClan might be eminent, but in the morning, she would finally begin training to fight like a true warrior. Ivypool would train her with all the skills that her mother and the Dark Forest warriors had taught her, and Silentpaw would work hard, harder than any apprentice before her, and she would be the best warrior the Clans had ever seen, stronger and surer than any cat would ever think a blind warrior could be.

Tomorrow would be a better day.

* * *

So yeah, I didn't manage to finish all the bios before finishing this chapter. Ah well. I only have the kits, elders, and loners left to do. Not too much more. At least you finally got a long chapter out of me.

We've finally finished up the Gathering, with some reactions from Darkbreeze, Eeltooth, and Silentpaw. And yes, Olivenose hasn't had an apprentice yet. Bad Tigerstar! Bad! But she's training Smokepaw now, so at least she has an apprentice now.

Up next is Silentpaw's first battle training session. This should be fun. ^^


	8. Chapter Six

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Six

"Silentpaw!"

The apprentice jolted awake, pelt bristling in surprise. Ivypool's voice had torn her out of sleep. Silentpaw blinked a few times, trying to remember her own surroundings.

Ivypool's head was poked inside the den, judging by how close her voice was. "Wake up. It's time for training. Grab something to eat, then meet me by the twisted redwood." She pulled her head back, rustling against the lichen that draped across the entrance to the den.

All of Silentpaw's grogginess faded in an instant. _Today's the day!_ she crowed silently. The day had finally come when Ivypool would teach her how to fight like a true warrior.

Silentpaw sprang to her paws, ignoring Sparkpaw's annoyed his as she bounded out of the den. She could hear the dawn patrol milling about camp, having just returned from the borders. Cats were relaxing by the fresh-kill pile when she reached it. Seedlight, Lilyfrost, and Ambertalon looked up as she grabbed a mouse off the pile. "Hello, Silentpaw," Seedlight greeted brightly. "In a hurry?"

She couldn't answer. Silentpaw was scarfing down her mouse, tearing into it as quickly as she could. "Training session," she answered briefly between gulps. She wanted to get out into the forest as soon as possible. Every bite seemed to take too long.

Ambertalon _mrowrred_ in laughter. "Right, Ivypool mentioned something about a battle session. She's finally teaching you how to shred ShadowClan invaders, huh?" She licked finch feathers off her jaws, claws sliding out. "I hope I can get in a few good swipes before Tigerstar wises up and stops declaring war on everyone."

Lilyfrost stiffened, protesting, "Why would you want to fight? I'll fight if I have to, but I'd much rather there be peace between the Clans."

"We can't exactly choose whether we'll be attacked," Seedlight pointed out calmly. "If Tigerstar is determined to make war, we'll have to be ready."

Silentpaw finally wolfed down the last scraps of mouse, quickly licking her lips clean. "No one's declared war on anyone yet," she reminded Seedlight. "I gotta go. Save a sparrow for me?"

"Count on it," Ambertalon promised as Silentpaw bounded away. She pelted out of the camp, pushing past a surprised patrol that was just returning, not stopping or slowing until she had reached the twisted tree far into the territory.

Ivypool was already there waiting for her. She sat calmly by the redwood, tail curled neatly around her paws, while Silentpaw gasped and panted in a desperate bid to catch her breath. "Morning," her mentor greeted, amused. "Have you eaten?"

It took several moments for Silentpaw to finally compose herself enough to speak again. "Yes," she finally mewed. Now that she was getting her breath back, her excitement was at full peak once more. It took all her willpower not to bound around her mentor like an excited kit.

"Good." Ivypool's paws shuffled as she got to her paws. "Now, we'll begin with the basics. I can't teach you everything I know in one session. Let's start with a basic strike. Show me your stance, and strike out with one paw. Claws out."

Puzzled, Silentpaw arched her back, puffing out every hair on her pelt like she'd been taught. She struck out hard with one paw, her claws arching out in front of her as she swiped at an invisible enemy. Ivypool watched in silence, then approached her apprentice. Silentpaw wasn't sure what the point of such a simplistic exercise was, but she held her tongue. She trusted that her mentor had a point.

"Your need a stronger stance. Position your legs here." With a hind paw, she pushed Silentpaw's legs into place, spreading them out. "You have more mobility with this position. You can crouch, stand strong, and move with your blow. Here." Ivypool lifted Silentpaw's foot with one paw, guiding it forward, another paw pushing her so her whole weight leaned forward into the blow. "Your paw is an extension of yourself. Pull all your weight into it, strike out with your whole body. The blow will only be hardest if you put everything into the flow of it." She stepped back, ordering, "Now, try it again."

Silentpaw narrowed her eyes in concentration. She crouched in the new stance, feeling the strength of the position. After a moment's thought, she struck out again, trying to throw the whole of her weight into it like Ivypool had said. The movement felt stronger now. Her claws sliced through the air with all of her strength behind it now.

Ivypool gave a small nod. "Better," she praised. "Now, try again, and crouch lower this time."

They practiced like that for a while, Silentpaw working to strengthen her position and her strike. Over and over she struck out in practice, sometimes at the air, sometimes at the twisted redwood to practice digging her claws into the bark. Finally, Ivypool raised her tail. "Very good. Now, let's give you a target to practice on." Silentpaw felt a burst of excitement. Ivypool crouched low, tail lashing. "Try to strike me. Claws sheathed, pleased. No need for anyone's ears to get nicked here."

Silentpaw crouched, trying to ignore the excitement coursing all through her veins. She had to focus. Ivypool was a few fox-lengths ahead of her. The stillness of her paws made it difficult to pin her down, but the soft lashing of her tail against the grass was enough to give Silentpaw her position. Silentpaw waited, then rushed out at her mentor. Ivypool dodged neatly out of the way, missing Silentpaw's wild jab in her direction. Silentpaw faltered, swinging her muzzle side to side in confusion.

"You have to be faster on your paws." Silentpaw's ears swiveled to catch the sound, and she whirled to face where her mentor's voice had come from. "I've seen you take down mice faster than me."

The apprentice made her fluffed-up pelt to lie flat. "The mouse doesn't usually know I'm coming," she grumbled. She felt a little sore about being so easily beaten, but she forced herself to ignore it and focus on the next attack.

She heard Ivypool's purr of amusement. "You need to have a better idea of where I am," she told the apprentice. "Listen. You can't see, but you can hear, and you can scent. That's more than enough to know where your opponent is."

"I know where you are," Silentpaw mewed. "It's just once you're moving and I'm moving and paws are thumping everywhere that the details get a little fuzzy."

Her mentor nodded slowly. "I see. But hearing is a skill, like any other, and your hearing is stronger than most. Work on it, and soon you'll be able to pinpoint moving paws more clearly."

Silentpaw nodded slowly. What her mentor said made sense. If she worked at it every day, training herself to hear more precisely, her skills would improve. She crouched. "Well, standing here talking isn't going to improve anything. Let's practice it again."

Ivypool growled, tail lashing. "Good plan."

**SCENEBREAK**

They trained for most of the day, practicing how to plan for an opponent's movements and a few methods of attack. They finished with a side dodge and strike, where Silentpaw surprised her mentor by smacking her muzzle with her tail while slipping to the side, to distract her from the paw that struck hard at her flank.

The battle session over, Ivypool lifted her paw, rubbing her sore muzzle. "I wasn't expecting that," she mewed carefully. Something in her tone seemed off. "That's a RiverClan move, isn't it?"

Silentpaw nodded. "Mistystar taught me a few battle moves," she told her mentor. She hadn't told anyone yet about the only battle session the RiverClan leader had given her during her stay in her Clan. She didn't really care what her Clanmates thought of her friendships outside the Clan, but even she was tactful enough to know that they wouldn't be pleased that the RiverClan leader had taught her one-on-one.

Ivypool's whiskers twitched in surprise. "Mistystar? Really?" She shook her head. "I wouldn't have guessed that RiverClan's leader would just give away her Clan's battle moves to a ThunderClan apprentice like that."

"I _did_ stay with her Clan for a moon," Silentpaw said with a shrug. "She wanted to thank me for how much I'd been helping RiverClan."

"Hmm." Her mentor's tone was carefully neutral. Silentpaw's tail lashed in frustration. She wished she had a better idea of what her mentor was thinking. Irritated, the apprentice sat, twisting her head around to lick her sore shoulder.

After a few moments of silence, Ivypool spoke again. "She knew you would return to ThunderClan. Why teach you RiverClan moves? She had to know you might use them against RiverClan in battle one day." Silentpaw's ears flattened at Ivypool's prodding.

Silentpaw hesitated. "Before... before I left, Mistystar gave me an offer," she said in a low voice. She hadn't told any cat about this yet. But she got the feeling Ivypool wasn't going to let up until Silentpaw told her the truth. "She offered to let me join RiverClan."

Ivypool bristled in surprise. Silentpaw waited in silence as her mentor absorbed the news. Finally, she mewed carefully, "I hadn't realized you were so welcome in RiverClan."

"No one in ThunderClan does," Silentpaw said firmly. "They'd trust me even less than they already do." Pent-up bitterness and frustration were starting to itch at her pelt, like thorn-sharp claws. She unsheathed her claws, digging them into the sand and hissing, "They're all so concerned with Clan loyalty! I put one paw out of line and now I have to prove myself with every move."

"It might be easier if you hadn't been so friendly at the Gathering," Ivypool pointed out."

The apprentice fluffed up her pelt, snorting, "I'm not about to ignore the friends I care about just because a few warriors get their tails in a twist over it. They're all just going to have to get used to the fact that I have friends in other Clans, because that's not going to change."

Ivypool stayed silent a few moments. "How much did you consider Mistystar's offer?" she finally asked. "Did you want to join RiverClan?"

Silentpaw flicked an ear uncomfortably, unwilling to answer. She didn't want to let her mentor know how close she had come to accepting the offer. How much RiverClan had begun to feel like home. "I considered it," she mewed evenly. "But ThunderClan is my home." Ivypool's silence was starting to irritate her. Silentpaw's hackles raised uncomfortably as she growled, "If my loyalty were truly outside of the Clan, then why in StarClan did I come back? My loyalty is _here_, and I'll prove it, but I'm sick of every cat snarling at me like I'm some kind of traitor."

Ivypool sighed. She crossed the hollow, coming up to her apprentice to give her a swift lick to her ear. "They don't think you're a traitor," she mewed.

"Sparkpaw and Spiderleg do," Silentpaw grumbled.

The warrior's tail twitched. "Perhaps. But most of them are just worried. They don't want to lose you. The longer you stay, the less they'll worry."

Silentpaw's fur began to lie flat. She mumbled, "I guess so." She could only hope her mentor was right. As her irritation faded, she remembered something that made her pelt burn hot with shame. "I'm not the only cat who's had to deal with suspicious Clanmates, am I?" she guessed.

Ivypool was silent. Silentpaw could hear her mentor's tail twitching, as though deep in thought. Finally, she said, "When the Dark Battle finished, cats were scared and panicked. They had just seen dead cats come to life and attack with teeth and claws. The cats who had only lived in the nightmare tales of elders. They weren't about to try and sort out loyal spy from true Dark Forest trainee. All they saw were cats who had betrayed their Clans to fight beside murderers and rogues. They didn't trust any of us. They thought we were traitors."

The apprentice shuddered. "That sounds awful," she mewed.

"It was," Ivypool said quietly. "None of the cats who trained in the Dark Forest could go anywhere without some cat glaring at them, or growling, or even leaving in the middle of conversation. Some of us even feared being driven out of the Clan, even though we were the ones who stayed loyal during the battle." She sighed. "I was luckier than most. The Three stood up for me. Once they realized how the Clan was treating me, they swore in front of every cat that I had been loyal all along, that I had risked my life night after night to spy on murderers. That seemed to be what convinced them. After that, they started telling stories about my nights in the Dark Forest, and started calling me a hero."

The words seemed dull, her tone flat. Silentpaw wondered with a start whether Ivypool even believed she was a hero. "It took them longer to believe the others were loyal. It was only after Bramblestar announcing that he'd been trained by Tigerstar as well that cats finally started realizing that just because these cats had trained in the Dark Forest didn't mean they weren't loyal now."

Silentpaw couldn't help but be curious. The Dark Forest had been mentioned in whispers all of Silentpaw's life, but no one seemed willing to talk very much about it. All of the former Dark Forest trainees got all bristly and shuffle-pawed when their former mentors were brought up, and even the elders didn't seem willing to tell stories of the awful training that went on there. Normally, she didn't prod her mentor about the things she'd seen there. But now, her curiosity was at its peak. "What was it like there?" she asked. "Why did you start training there in the first place?"

Ivypool froze in shock. Silentpaw could hear the way she had stilled entirely. The silence dragged on so long, Silentpaw began to fear that her mentor wouldn't answer at all. Finally, she rasped, "You have to understand. I didn't know about Dovewing's powers, or the prophecy, for many moons. But Firestar knew, and so did Dovewing's mentor, Lionblaze. And whenever she used her powers and saw something that helped the Clan, they always treated her like some kind of hero. And I had no way of knowing why. All I saw was my sister getting special treatment while I was being left behind."

She lifted her muzzle. "Then Hawkfrost came to me. We weren't in the Dark Forest at first. He visited me in a bright meadow, and everything was so warm and sunny. And he seemed to understand me. He told me that I could be a better warrior than Dovewing, that no one would ever ignore me or treat me as second-best ever again. I believed he truly wanted to help me. Even when we went to the Dark Forest, and Tigerstar was there, and the training got fiercer, I always believed that I was doing it to be a better warrior."

Silentpaw was shocked at how dull her mentor's tone was. What kind of horrors had she witnessed in the Dark Forest, to make her sound like that? "What made you change your mind?" she asked quietly.

"I saw Tigerstar training a cat from ShadowClan, the new Tigerstar," Ivypool mewed shortly. "He told him that he was training him to help ShadowClan, that ShadowClan was where his loyalty truly lied. He lied to me. He'd told me that he was loyal to ThunderClan, that he wanted to make me a better warrior for them. But he was only loyal to himself, and so were the rest of those rogues." The last words were spoken in a growl. Silentpaw heard her claws unsheathe, digging into the dirt. "From then on, I was a spy. My loyalty was to my Clan, and it was always going to be. Even if I'd let them convince myself I was worth more than them. And worth more than my sister."

There was so much bitterness in Ivypool's growl. Silentpaw stood, slowly, and carefully pressed her muzzle against her mentor's cheek. Ivypool stiffened, but didn't flinch away. "I don't know what you saw there, or did," Silentpaw said carefully. "But I know you're a great warrior. One of the best ThunderClan has ever seen. I was so proud when I got you for a mentor."

Ivypool's ear twitched, and her posture began to loosen. "Really?"

"Really," the apprentice promised. "You're the best mentor any cat could ask for. You're brave, and you're loyal, and whatever brought you to the Dark Forest, you've made up for it plenty of times over. No one doubts your loyalty, not anymore. You're a legend." She flicked her tail, purring, "And you're my friend."

The warrior relaxed, all the stiffness gone. "Thank you, Silentpaw," she mewed quietly. "That means a lot." There was a pause, then Ivypool stood, shaking out her pelt. "Come on. Cats are going to start wondering where we are soon. Let's go home."

**SCENEBREAK**

That night, Silentpaw's dreams took a strange turn. She found herself in a strange forest, with strange, wet ground underpaw. It didn't smell like ThunderClan territory. She didn't recognize the trees, with the twisting roots that poked at her paws, nor the strange, musty scent on the breeze, nor the springy ground underpaw. But the whole place made her pelt bristle.

Silentpaw crept forward carefully, tasting the air. She felt completely uneasy. But it wasn't until she felt cold mist swirling around her and heard a low growl on the breeze that she finally understood why. She knew now that she was dreaming, and she knew exactly where she was.

_I'm in the Dark Forest!_

The moment she realized where she was, Silentpaw was snapped back into wakefulness. Her head snapped up, her fur standing on end and her heart pounding. But she was back in her nest, in the apprentice's den, safe and sound. Blazepaw's back was pressed against hers, and she could hear Lightpaw and Sparkpaw snoring across the den.

Her gasping and pounding heart finally slowed. She laid her head back on her paws, closing her eyes. But she couldn't shake the terror that had seized her. How had she ended up in the Dark Forest? What, or who, had brought her there? Would she find herself there again if she let herself sleep? Her stay there had been so brief, she hadn't been able to get any sort of answers.

As worried as she was, Silentpaw was still exhausted from her day of training. It didn't take long for her to drift off to sleep again. She didn't find herself in the musty forest again, but even as she slept, her worries drifted through her dreams, keeping her from her rest.

* * *

Sorry this took so long to finish, I wanted to finish all the bios for FB first, then I got really busy and really blocked. But it's done now.

So we get some battle training for Silentpaw, some quality conversation time between Silentpaw and Ivypool, and a mysterious dream for Silentpaw. I'm not going to be explaining anything about her dream just yet. All I'll say is that I'm not going to have her training there anytime soon. I'm not dragging back that old plot. Plus, with the hindsight of the Dark Battle, Silentpaw knows better.

I'll try to get the next chapter out soon.

Also, the allegiances are updated now.


	9. Chapter Seven

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Seven

Two days after the Gathering, Snowfall and Blazepaw were sharing a hare by the fresh-kill pile when Ambertalon approached them. The tiny gray she-cat's tail flicked in a friendly greeting, her tone bright as she asked, "Want to go hunting?"

Blazepaw shrugged. "Sure." He swiped his paw over his muzzle, licking clean the last scraps of hare, before standing. He and Snowfall followed the tiny she-cat towards the camp's entrance.

As they were about to pass through the thorn barrier, a cat hurried past the entrance, pushing past them. Blazepaw recoiled in surprise. "Silentpaw?" The small, black she-cat had shoved past Ambertalon's shoulder, nearly unbalancing her, and had swept past the three of them with an expression of distraction.

Silentpaw didn't seem to hear Blazepaw. Her gray eyes were dull and unfocused, and she seemed to be muttering to herself as she stalked towards the fresh-kill pile, where Ivypool stood waiting for her. Blazepaw stared after her in confusion. His sister had seemed in a strange mood all day. He considered asking her about it, but decided against it. Snowfall and Ambertalon were waiting to hunt.

The three cats made their way out into the forest. A bitter chill had fallen over the woods over the last few days. Blazepaw could see Ambertalon shivering, and even Snowfall, with his thicker pelt, had his fur fluffed up against the wind. Blazepaw tried to ignore the cold ground numbing his paws and lifted his muzzle, sniffing the air for prey. "It seems so empty out here," he commented quietly. The thick, varying scents of birds and mice and squirrels that he'd always been used to had dulled, leaving only faint traces and the cool scent of frost. Even the leaves had fallen from their branches, leaving the trees cold and bare.

Ambertalon stuck her muzzle to the ground, digging leaves aside with long, hooked claws. "No kidding," she grunted. "I can't smell any prey, can you?"

"Nothing," Snowfall sighed. He shook out his pelt, his thick fur still fluffed out. "Come on. Let's try further in. Maybe there's something closer to the twoleg nest."

His sister shuddered. She grumbled, "If I ever have to go inside that stone thing again, it'll be too soon. I just can't get used to the sky being blocked out like that."

"We don't have to go inside," the white warrior purred. "But there might be mice around, now that the cat-scent must be fading." Ambertalon just grunted in reply.

It didn't take long for the cats to reach the nest. It had been over a moon since ThunderClan's move from the twoleg nest back into their own camp. In that time, the carefully constructed dens and rebuilt walls had been taken down to help rebuild the camp. Blazepaw could see the old, weathered stone walls were just as crumbled and broken as they had been when ThunderClan arrived. It looked utterly bleak.

Blazepaw shuddered. "I can't believe we stayed there a moon," he mewed.

"Don't remind me," Ambertalon said. Her head was raised, eyes bright with concentration. "Now shush." Her tail-tip twitched, every muscle suddenly stiff. Blazepaw heard the faintest skittering of something in the grass. He and Snowfall watched as Ambertalon crouched, pulling herself smooth and silent towards the sound, before giving a single bound. There was a single squeak that was cut off very quickly. A few moments later, Ambertalon lifted her head, a limp mouse in her jaws.

Snowfall and Blazepaw trotted towards her. "Nice catch," Blazepaw praised. Ambertalon's great talent was in battle, but she was certainly no slouch at hunting.

Ambertalon spat the creature back onto the ground. "Well, at least the Clan will eat something tonight," she mewed. "I can't remember the last time prey was so scarce."

"At least it's not as bad as last leafbare," Snowfall said.

Blazepaw felt a prickle of curiosity. "What was it like?" he asked. He and Silentpaw had been born during that terrible leafbare. It had taken their sister, Lichenkit. Blazepaw couldn't even remember his other sister anymore, only what Cinderheart and Lionblaze had told him. His blood froze at the thought of losing more kits to another leafbare.

Snowfall shuddered. He told Blazepaw, "Ambertalon and I weren't quite apprentices yet. But we were old enough to know that every cat was cold and hungry and sick. We lost so many elders to greencough."

"Cherrypaw died too," Ambertalon recalled. "Molefoot was devastated. He's the one who went out in the snow day after day until he found another source of catmint. Jayfeather was over the moon. I'd never seem him look so far from grumpy before."

Her brother nodded gravely. "But we lost a lot of cats before he did, and with the cold, and so many cats sick, hunting was hard. I remember the warriors would come back with empty jaws more often than prey. You could count the ribs of everyone, even the queens."

Ambertalon added, "Hunting was so bad, even the elders had to pitch in to make sure everyone got fed. I think that's what finished off Sandstorm. She overworked herself so much that she was too exhausted to go on." She paused, grief clouding her eyes. "We're lucky she worked so much, though. I don't know if so many cats would have made it if she hadn't. Sandstorm would hunt like whole patrols on her own, even as old as she was."

Blazepaw's brow furrowed as he tried to remember that harsh leafbare. All he could remember were brief flashes of light, the mewling of hungry kits, and the murmurs of worried queens. For some reason, the cold was making him nostalgic. He wanted to hear more about his Clan's past that he wasn't there to witness. "Was that when Briarlight died too?" he questioned. He had heard the story before. His mentor's sister had died when a fox had broken into camp early in leafbare. She had died defending the nursery, and its newest arrivals, himself and his sisters.

"Yes. It was only a few days after you were born," Snowfall told him. "I remember, Blossomfall and Bumblestripe were crushed, and Millie wouldn't eat for days. She'd already lost Graystripe, and now her daughter was gone too." He looked thoughtful, tail twitching. "I think it was her talk with Blossomfall that really snapped her out of it. I don't know what they said, but she practically stuffed a vole down her throat to try and get her to eat, and there was a lot of yowling and wailing before they got really quiet. Things seemed better between them after that. Millie started eating again, and she decided to retire and enjoy the rest of her days as an elder."

Blazepaw listened in silence. So many changes, so many Clanmates lost. And if the forest got much colder, they could lose even more, not to mention the threat from ShadowClan. But there were so many new kits too. New lives for ThunderClan. Come newleaf, there would be plenty of new apprentices being trained to hunt for the Clan. He only hoped they would all make it until then.

Leaves rustled nearby, along with the soft footfalls of an approaching cat. Blazepaw stiffened, pelt bristling, only to relax as Toadstep stepped out from behind a clump of ferns. The black-and-white tom blinked, looking surprised to see them. "Hello," he mewed.

"Hi, Toadstep," Ambertalon greeted. Her eyes narrowed as Toadstep glanced around in distraction. "Are you alright?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah." The tom shook out his pelt, but he still had a distracted gleam to his eyes.

Snowfall and Blazepaw shared a confused glance. Toadstep wasn't usually this out of it. "Is there something you're looking for?" Blazepaw asked carefully.

The tom blinked in surprise, as though he'd already forgotten the younger cats were there. "No. Well, yes, I was looking for Ivypool, we're supposed to lead a patrol. Have you seen her?"

"Last we saw her, she was in camp with Silentpaw," Snowfall told him. "Maybe she's still there."

Toadstep's ears perked. "Really? Thanks," he said in a brighter tone. He flicked his tail in a final greeting before turning back around and heading away towards camp. The three young cats watched him go in bemusement.

Blazepaw glanced uneasily where the black-and-white tom had disappeared into the ferns. "Is it just me, or was that weird?" he wondered aloud.

"Definitely weird," Ambertalon agreed. Snowfall didn't reply, but there was an amused gleam to his eyes that gave Blazepaw the impression that he'd understood Toadstep's strange behavior better than the other two.

He glanced uncertainly between Snowfall and the clump of ferns, then flicked an ear. "Come on," he mewed briskly, trying to put Toadstep's strange behavior out of his mind. "One mouse isn't going to feed the Clan. Let's see what else we can find."

**SCENEBREAK**

They decided that hunting might be better if they split up. Snowfall had stayed by the twoleg nest, and Ambertalon had taken off for the hazel bushes, so Blazepaw had gone the other direction. So far, all he'd managed to catch was a finch and a scrawny shrew.

Blazepaw had caught scent of a blackbird. He was so intent on stalking it that he didn't realize how close he was to ShadowClan's border until he nearly stumbled over the border. The young tom paused, all thoughts of the bird gone in his surprise.

Something about the border smelled strange. The scents were faint, almost as though the border hadn't been lined with new scent markers in a few days. Blazepaw sniffed curiously at the border, tail-tip twitching anxiously.

As he tried to figure out the scents, he was surprised to find that the marshy reek of ShadowClan wasn't just lying along the border. Some of the scents strayed a good few tail-lengths over the border. Blazepaw's hackles immediately began to raise. ShadowClan scents on_his_ territory, mere days after the Gathering.

"Snowfall! Ambertalon!" he called, not caring who heard. If ShadowClan was lurking nearby, they had a lot to answer for, and he'd rather face them with his friends at his side.

It didn't take long for the warriors to reach him. Ambertalon immediately bristled when she arrived, already having caught onto the ShadowClan reek, while Snowfall stiffened in shock. "ShadowClan!" Ambertalon spat. Her claws were unsheathed, and her fangs were bared, eyes glinting dangerously. "They were here!"

Blazepaw's own pelt was fluffed up. He could feel the same anger burning in his veins, making his muscles shake with energy and fury. Snowfall alone remained calm. He picked his way carefully towards Blazepaw, sniffing at the scents. After a few moments, he said quietly, "It's too faint to tell who it is, or when they were here."

"Does it matter?" Ambertalon growled. "ShadowClan was on our territory. We have to make them pay!"

Snowfall shook his head. "This could have been left by a mouse that strayed over the border for all we know," he argued. "We don't have enough proof."

Blazepaw felt a surge of anger, something he rarely felt this strongly. His own hunger and the losses his Clan had already suffered were making him protective. He demanded, "You'd let them get away with it?" The thought of ShadowClan cats thinking they had the right to ThunderClan prey made his blood boil. Wasn't every Clan having it hard enough after the flood without one Clan being selfish?

The white tom met his gaze evenly. "With tensions as high as they are, I don't think we should go looking for a fight when we're not completely sure any prey was stolen," he said calmly. "We'll tell Bramblestar what we've found and leave it up to him."

Blazepaw hesitated. He hated the thought of marsh-hunters taking the prey that his own Clan so desperately needed and getting away with it. But Snowfall was right. They couldn't just pick a fight without better proof. Reluctantly, the apprentice forced his pelt to lie flat, the anger slowly fading. "I guess you're right," he admitted.

Ambertalon was still fluffed up with fury, but when both of her Clanmates refused to join her in anger, she reluctantly sheathed her claws. She muttered, "Fine. But the next ShadowClan cat I see is getting a scratched nose." She stalked off, tail lashing from side to side and pelt bristling. Snowfall and Blazepaw shared a look, then followed her.

**SCENEBREAK**

Bramblestar's eyes widened when the three cats returned to camp. "Is that all you could find?" he asked in shock. Beside him, Squirrelflight looked on in concern, green eyes bright with worry.

Between them, all they had managed to catch was Ambertalon's mouse, the shrew and finch, and a vole. Blazepaw spat his catch onto the fresh-kill pile, tail bristling. He prided himself on his hunting; coming back with such a meager catch was a mark of shame for him.

"Prey's getting scarcer," Snowfall said grimly. "And that's not all." He told the leader about the scents they had found.

Bramblestar's expression was grave, as was Squirrelflight's. "You said the scents were faint?" the deputy asked.

Snowfall nodded. "Too faint to tell who they were left by."

The dark tabby tom sighed. Blazepaw felt a prickle of unease at how troubled his features were. "Thank you for telling me this," he said, dipping his head to Snowfall. The leader got to his paws, turning and bounding towards the High Ledge. As he leaped atop, he yowled to his Clanmates, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the High Ledge for a Clan meeting!"

Cats began emerging from their dens. Blazepaw could see his Clanmates murmuring curiously to each other. He joined the crowd, sticking beside Ambertalon and Snowfall. He felt anticipation prickling at his paws. As much as he knew no cat should hope for battle, he couldn't help but hope that Bramblestar wouldn't just let ShadowClan get away with what they'd done.

Bramblestar waited until every cat had gathered to speak. "Snowfall, Ambertalon, and Blazepaw found ShadowClan scents within our borders," he announced. Immediately, cats began yowling and shrieking in outrage. Blazepaw saw Sparkpaw leap to his paws, hissing and spitting.

"Silence!" Even after Bramblestar's yowl, it took several moments for the furious cries to die down. "The scents were very faint. It could have been from a moon ago, it could have been one cat, or several, or a mouse that carried the scent. It's not enough to attack ShadowClan for. With how aggressive Tigerstar is being, we will need more proof to launch an attack, unless we want a full war on our paws for nothing."

"We can't just let them take our prey either," Mousewhisker called out.

Something hardened in Bramblestar's eyes. "You're right," he growled. "We need to keep a closer eye on the border."

From beneath the High Ledge, Squirrelflight gave a brisk lash of her tail. She decided, "I'll double the patrols. Less cats patrolling more often. If ShadowClan so much as sets a paw over the border, we'll know about it."

Bramblestar nodded. "Very well. No apprentice is to be near ShadowClan's borders without a warrior present, and hunting patrols must be alert when close to ShadowClan. I hope Tigerstar won't be so foolish as to take our prey, but with leafbare coming, we can't take any chances. All prey theft must be reported immediately. I will give Tigerstar one chance to explain himself." His dark eyes narrowed, a dangerous, burning amber. "_One_ chance. You're all dismissed."

Blazepaw felt a rush of satisfaction as the meeting broke up. Bramblestar was a cat of his word. He would give ShadowClan the chance he had promised. But if they failed to honor that, he would stop at nothing to defend his territory and his Clan. If Tigerstar was determined to ignore the warrior code, he'd get the battle he'd been hoping for.

* * *

Sorry this took a bit, but here's the newest chapter.

So, ShadowClan may or may not be hunting on ThunderClan territory, Toadstep's acting strange, and Bramblestar doesn't screw around with protecting his Clan. Also, Blazepaw isn't quite as meek and withdrawn as he used to be.

There's going to be a bit of a time skip for the next chapter, and we're back to Silentpaw's POV.

Also, I finally addressed Briarlight and how she died, something I've been meaning to do for a while. I do regret my decision to kill her off that I made at the beginning of starting this project. If she was going to die, though, I wanted it to be a death where she got to do something, to go out with a bang.


	10. Chapter Eight

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Eight

"Silentpaw? Where are you going?"

The apprentice turned to face Squirrelflight. The deputy was still restricted to the camp, taking care of her kits, but she carried out her duties within the camp. Which included keeping an eye on apprentices who were trying to sneak out of camp alone.

Silentpaw lifted her head, ears perked and pelt smooth and at ease. "Hunting," she said easily. "Ivypool's busy, so I thought I'd find something for the elders to eat."

Squirrelflight regarded the apprentice dubiously. "Maybe I should send a warrior with you," she said.

"No, I'll be fine," Silentpaw told her. "I won't go near ShadowClan's border, I promise. Just around the gorse thickets."

The deputy hesitated. Finally, she mewed, "Alright. Just be careful. Don't be out too long."

Silentpaw purred, "I won't!" With a final flick her tail, the apprentice disappeared out the thorn barrier and into the woods.

She hadn't lied to Squirrelflight, not exactly. She had every intention of bringing back prey for her Clan before the day's end. But it wasn't her only reason for leaving camp.

The apprentice bounded easily through the forest, at complete ease in her environment. After four and a half moons of training, she knew every shrub of her territory, every dip and rise, every root. She could hunt as well as any warrior, and the last half-moon of battle training had her confident in her ability to fight. Any doubts of the ability of a blind warrior to carry out all the functions of a sighted warrior had been all but crushed at this point.

In a few minutes, she had reached her destination. The area was still thick with trees, but the scent of moor was everywhere, especially along the border itself. And right beside the border was the cat she'd come to meet.

"Silentpaw!" Darkbreeze's mew was as bright and cheerful as always. The WindClan warrior touched noses warmly with the apprentice. "How's the prey running?"

"As well as ever," Silentpaw purred in reply. "I caught this huge magpie earlier. It nearly scratched my ears off, the mangy old thing. Squirrelflight and her kits seemed pretty grateful, though." She settled onto a comfortable, mossy patch on her side of the border, while Darkbreeze stretched out on the grassy patch that was usually her seat on WindClan's side. In the half moon since the last Gathering, Darkbreeze and Silentpaw had met often, complaining about Clanmates, telling stories, and just chatting and hanging out. Silentpaw hadn't told any of her Clanmates, due to the already high level of suspicion towards her, but she felt no shame for what she was doing. ThunderClan had her loyalty, but Darkbreeze, and Eeltooth, had her friendship. If RiverClan and ThunderClan shared a border, she'd be meeting Eeltooth as well. Her Clanmates were probably happier not knowing anyway.

Darkbreeze purred, "Good thing it didn't carry you off," she joked. The warrior twisted her head around to lick her shoulder fur down. As she groomed herself, she joked, "I swear, Weaselfur has it out for me. I've been on four dawn patrols in a row. If I have to wake up before the sun rises one more day, someone's going to lose their whiskers."

"Probably you, if you try bothering Weaslefur," Silentpaw teased.

Her kin just gave a good-natured purr in reply. "You're probably right. But it's starting to get ridiculous. Send me on as many night patrols as you like, but stop making me wake up so early. I'm not a morning cat in any sense of the word. I'm pretty sure if a rogue had crossed the border, I'd be so out of it that they'd be able to creep up on me and take me out without a problem."

Silentpaw snorted. "At least you're being useful for the Clan," she said.

The warrior tipped her head, asking, "What's that mean?"

"Nothing." Darkbreeze's silence was enough to tell Silentpaw that she didn't believe her. With a sigh, she admitted, "It's just, Ivypool's been acting weird lately."

"Weird how?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure. One minute she's all about training as much as possible and non-stop battle training, the next she's cutting our sessions short, or just sending me out on patrols without her. And she never wants to talk about it. She gets all weird whenver I ask her what's up." The apprentice lowered her head, trying to hide her uncertainty. "I guess I just worry. I thought Ivypool was one of the few who wasn't treating me weird because of the whole RiverClan thing. But now, with that way she's been acting..."

Darkbreeze sobered. "I'm sorry, Silentpaw," she mewed quietly. She got to her paws, stretching her muzzle across the border just enough to touch her nose to Silentpaw's ear. "I know things have been hard since you got back. Just try to remember, ThunderClan is your family. They're just worried about you."

"Oh yeah," Silentpaw snorted, "Sparkpaw seemed really worried when he called me a traitor."

The warrior purred in amusement. "Yeah, that cat sounds like a harebrain," she allowed. "But I'm sure the rest of them just don't want to lose you. They must have been really worried about you the moon you were gone, and now that it turns out you were fine the whole time, they're worried that you might decide you like living somewhere other than ThunderClan. They don't want you to leave."

Silentpaw knew Darkbreeze was right. She laid her head on her paws, grumbling, "It's been a moon and a half. You'd think they'd get that if I was going to leave, I'd have done it by now."

There was a brief silence. When Darkbreeze spoke again, her voice was oddly subdued. "Once someone you care about leaves once, you never really shake the fear that they might leave again."

Silentpaw's irritation faded. In her bitterness, she had forgotten that Darkbreeze knew about that worry better than any cat. "I'm sorry," she mewed quietly. "How's Nightfern doing?" After her sister stayed with ShadowClan for a moon due to the flood, Darkbreeze must still have been worried about her, if her own Clanmates were any example.

Darkbreeze sighed, admitting, "I don't know. She's been acting weird lately too. I mean, Nightfern's always been quiet, but I know she's keeping something from me. She sneaks out at night, and she won't tell me why." She paused. "I'm really worried about her, Silentpaw. I already lost her once. And I'm so scared that I'm going to lose her again."

Nightfern was sneaking out of camp? That wasn't a good sign. Silentpaw had thought Nightfern was just bitter about being mistrusted, like her, but if she was sneaking around like that, there was probably something else going on. She struggled to find something to say that would do anything to help. Finally, she just said, "Nightfern knows much you care about her. If she really wants to leave, she wouldn't just turn her back on you without another word. You're her sister."

Darkbreeze was quiet for a few moments. "Would you have told Blazepaw?" she asked finally. "If you were leaving ThunderClan for good?"

Silentpaw paused, blinking in surprise. She forced herself to really think about it. Would she? If she decided tomorrow that she would rather return to RiverClan than remain in ThunderClan, would she tell her family, or would she just leave in the night like last time? To just leave would be so much easier. But she knew now how much it would hurt the cats she cared about. If she were truly to leave them, they would deserve to hear it from her face to face, and to be given a proper goodbye. "Yes I would have," she answered honestly. "And so would Nightfern. Like you said, you already lost her once. She wouldn't let you lose her again without telling you why. She wouldn't want to hurt you like that."

"Well, I hope you're right," Darkbreeze replied. Her new sounded a little lighter, which Silentpaw decided to take as a good sign. Darkbreeze shook her head, quickly changing the topic. "As for you, I wouldn't worry too much about your mentor. I bet it has more to do with her mooning over Toadstep than you."

The apprentice's hackles raised in shock. "What?"

Darkbreeze's whiskers twitched amusement. "What, don't you know?" she purred. "I saw those two at the Gathering. I don't think a mouse could've squeezed between them they were sitting so close together."

"You think Ivypool likes Toadstep?" Silentpaw repeated in surprise. She had never thought of mentor as the sort to pad after any cat. But it did make an odd sort of sense. If Darkbreeze was right, Ivypool wasn't cutting training short to avoid Silentpaw. She was just trying to spend time with Toadstep. He did seem to be on most of her patrols these days, and maybe he was a little quieter around Ivypool, now that she thought about it. Aloud, she mewed, "You know, you might be onto something. She has been hunting with him a lot."

"Told you," Darkbreeze purred. "I'll bet you a moon's worth of prey that I'm right about them."

Silentpaw just closed her eyes, purring in contentment. Even with the biting cold of leafbare, the distrust of her Clanmates, and the lack of prey that had them all hungry, life was still alright. Joking with Darkbreeze, or hunting with Ambertalon and Seedlight, or training with Ivypool, made all the hard times worth it.

One dark worry still itched at the back of her mind, however. A half moon had passed since her dream. For a few, brief moments, she had been in the Dark Forest. Silentpaw had not dreamed of that dark place since, nor had she been given any answers as to why she'd found herself there. All she had were the memory of feeling cold mist wrapping around her, and the distant growling of some dark spirit.

The dream had haunted her memories ever since she'd had it. The Dark Battle against the spirits who walked in that forest had been fought and won long before Silentpaw had been born. Surely none of the cats still walking there had plans on trying to train Clan cats again? And if so, why her? They had to know that she'd rather fight a forest of badgers than ever betray her Clanmates to the Dark Forest.

She'd considered asking Jayfeather if he had any idea why she might have ended up there. But the medicine cat was still being pricklier than usual. It was starting to get irritating. She would have thought that he, of all cats, would understand where her loyalties lied. He'd seemed alright enough with her decision to stay with RiverClan when he'd walked in her dreams there. But now that she was home, he seemed so stiff around her. He hadn't asked her about it, so he probably hadn't read it in her thoughts, and bringing it up would more likely result in clawed ears than anything. So asking him was out.

Besides, she remembered what Ivypool had told her about the cats who had walked in the Dark Forest. They had been shunned by her Clanmates. Silentpaw was distrusted enough by her Clanmates as it was, she had no intention of fanning that flame by telling them all that she'd had a lovely stroll in the Dark Forest the other night. She could only hope that, whatever had happened, would never happen again.

Darkbreeze's voice managed to shake Silentpaw from her worries. The warrior mewed, "I should probably head back soon."

Silentpaw's ears perked in surprise. "Already?" The visit had seemed far too short.

The WindClan warrior stood, shaking grass from her pelt. "My fur's thinner than yours," she reminded Silentpaw in an amused purr. "It's too cold to be out so long. Besides, my Clanmates will be wondering where I am. And I promised to go hunting with Nightfern and Quickpaw." Her tone, as bright as it was, still held a hint of concern. Silentpaw knew that the warrior still feared for her sister, no matter what she'd said to assure her.

"Alright," Silentpaw mewed reluctantly. She rose to her paws as well, stretching out her limbs. "Want to meet again soon?"

"Sure. It'll have to be a few days, though, I've promised to help clean the elder's den. Only one apprentice, and all that."

Silentpaw nodded. "Does four days sound alright, around sunhigh?"

Darkbreeze curled her tail, purring, "Sounds good to me. See you then!" She stretched out her muzzle to touch noses with Silentpaw, then bounded off, racing away to her moor home. Silentpaw waited for her to leave, then took off further into the woods.

**SCENEBREAK**

Silentpaw made sure she didn't return to camp empty-jawed. A squirrel was clenched in her jaws, along with a mouse. She'd hoped to bring back more, but she knew, perhaps better than most, that sometimes there just wasn't prey to be found. It was still better eating than there'd been in the first few days in RiverClan.

As she brought her catch to the fresh-kill pile, she found Blazepaw there, sharing a shrew with Ambertalon. She mumbled a friendly greeting around her squirrel, but Blazepaw just stiffened. He rose to his paws, mewing shortly, "I have to get to training, Bumblestripe wants to practice fox fighting." The apprentice dipped his head briefly to his sister, then padded away.

Silentpaw tried not to feel too miffed as she dropped her catch onto the pile. It must have showed on her expression, though, because Ambertalon spoke up. "Don't worry, he'll come around eventually," she told Silentpaw.

"I'm starting to doubt it," Silentpaw grumbled. She knew Blazepaw was angry at her for leaving like she had, but she'd never seen him hold a grudge this long.

Ambertalon just got to her paws, flicking her tail against Silentpaw's shoulder. In a friendly mew, she said, "Come on, the day's still young. Let's go hunting."

Silentpaw hesitated. She'd already been hunting for a while, and she had been looking forward to resting back at camp. But Ambertalon was one of the few cats who had never tiptoed around her or held a grudge against her for helping RiverClan. She didn't want to seem rude by saying now. "Sure," she mewed.

The two she-cats set out into the forest, chatting and joking. Ambertalon lifted her head, looking skyward. "I wonder if it'll snow soon," she said, tail-tip flicking. "It's certainly cold enough for it."

"It hasn't snowed since I was a kit," Silentpaw said. "I barely remember it." Her memory of those first few moons was fuzzy. Only brief flashes of the warmth of Cinderheart's belly and two bodies beside her. She had been protected from the cold of that terrible leafbare. This time, she wouldn't be so lucky.

Something rustled nearby. Ambertalon stiffened, hackles slowly raising as she sniffed for prey, but after a few moments, she relaxed and padded on. "It's cold and wet and makes hunting a pain in the tail. It's beautiful to look at, though."

"I'll have to take your word for it," the apprentice returned dryly.

Ambertalon just shook her head. "You really do take after Jayfeather." Her tone grew more serious as she added, "Prey's going to be scarcer for every Clan. If ShadowClan can't find food on their own territory, they'll try to find it on ours."

Silentpaw's ear twitched, and she asked in surprise, "You really think they'll hunt here again?" It had been half a moon since ShadowClan scents had been found on ThunderClan territory. Since then, the border had been patrolled tirelessly, sunrise to moonrise. No cat had seen any ShadowClan cat set so much as a whisker over the border in all that time. If they hadn't strayed over the border yet, why would they start now.

"You saw Tigerstar at the last Gathering," Ambertalon growled. "He's got about as much respect for the warrior code as the last cat with that name."

The apprentice's ears flattened against her head. "That's a bit harsh," she said, a hard edge to her tone. "Tigerstar may be arrogant and foolish, but at least he's not out there slaughtering countless innocent cats."

Ambertalon just snorted. "Yeah, well, he's causing enough trouble without all that."

"_All_ he's done so far that we know about is make a fool of himself at a Gathering and possibly leave a very faint trace of scent in our territory," Silentpaw growled. "I wish every cat would stop acting like he's waging war already." As Ambertalon went to speak, she added with a snarl, "And I'm not just saying that because I'm soft on the other Clans, or I'm a traitor, or whatever I'm being called behind my back these days."

"I wasn't going to say that," Ambertalon sniffed. "Get your tail out of a twist. I trust you." Silentpaw relaxed, shaking her head and letting her hackles lie flat. "I'm not saying that we should just barge in and attack for no reason. I'm just saying I don't trust Tigerstar, and we need to keep an eye on him, and on our borders. And if he _does_ try anything, we don't let him get away with it."

Silentpaw sighed, her anger gone. "That's fair enough. And if he does attack, I'll stand and fight with the rest of ThunderClan."

Ambertalon glanced at Silentpaw, tone softer as she said, "I know that. And so do your Clanmates. Just give it time."

The apprentice gave a small nod to let Ambertalon know she was grateful. As much as she missed her friendship with Blazepaw, the support of Ambertalon and her other friends meant a lot. And she was right. If it truly came to battle with ShadowClan, she would give those prey-thieves something to think about. She'd put the doubts about a blind warrior fighting to rest once and for all.

She only hoped it didn't come to that.

* * *

Not totally happy with how it ended, but eh. Here's the new chapter.

We get to see more of Darkbreeze and Silentpaw just chilling together. I'm pretty sure Darkbreeze is my favorite of the characters I created for this, other than Silentpaw (but maybe a little more than Silentpaw). She's so much fun to write.

So, seems that Nightfern's hiding something, and Ivypool's acting strange around a certain black-and-white tom. I love the theory of Ivypool being ace and/or aro, and I'd love for her not to have a mate in the canon series, we need more female characters who don't want or need mates. But here, I planned out something for her ahead of time, and I'm pretty happy with how it's going to go (whether it ends happily or not).

Next chapter is Blazepaw, and there's another time skip. There's going to be a couple of those in this book, sorry about that. I'm trying to cover a lot of ground here.


	11. Chapter Nine

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Nine

As Blazepaw finished off his squirrel, Bumblestripe and Squirrelflight approached him. Blazepaw looked up curiously. "What's up?" he asked.

"Squirrelflight and I are due on a border patrol," Bumblestripe explained, "and Dovewing promised to help Jayfeather collect herbs. Since Daisy is helping the elders work on their den, we were wondering whether you'd be willing to look after the kits until we get back?"

Blazepaw's ears perked. The apprentice had always enjoyed playing with the kits and looking after them. He mewed brightly, "Sure! Are you leaving now?"

Squirrelflight nodded. "We'll be back by sunhigh, in time for the ceremony. Finchkit will help you." She touched noses with her adopted kin. "Thank you."

"Anytime," Blazepaw purred. As his mentor and the deputy left to join their patrol, Blazepaw headed towards the nursery. He passed Lightpaw, who was grooming himself by the apprentice's den. Blazepaw paused as an idea came to him. "Lightpaw," he called, causing the younger tom to lift his head in surprise. "Are you doing anything right now?"

Lightpaw hesitated. "Not really. Why?"

"Come on," Blazepaw mewed, gesturing Lightpaw forward with his tail. The apprentice rose to his paws and started towards Blazepaw. "The queens are busy, and I could use some help looking after the kits."

"Alright," Lightpaw agreed quietly. The two toms made their way to the nursery.

When they arrived, they found the kits playing, tumbling and growling and batting at each other with big, furry paws. Finchkit was the only one not playing. The golden kit sat back quietly, watching the younger kits wrestle with a mild expression.

All the kits looked up as the apprentices padded into the den. "Blazepaw!" they cried, abandoning their game to bound towards the apprentices. "Want to play?" Lightpaw said nothing, slipping into the nursery and sitting beside Finchkit with his shoulders hunched.

"Sure," Blazepaw purred. "What are we playing?"

"Let's play badger attack," Sunnykit mewed, her green eyes bright she lowered into a crouch. "You're the badger, and you're trying to attack the camp."

Blazepaw crouched as well, growling playfully. "Alright."

Skykit padded up to Lightpaw, head tilted curiously. "Lightpaw, will you play with us too?"

The tom hesitated, eyes suddenly wide in mild panic. "Er, sorry, I think I'm fine here." Blazepaw resisted the urge to twitch his whiskers in amusement. Poor Lightpaw was even more awkward around kits than cats his own age, and that was saying something.

Blazepaw stomped towards the kits, thumping his paws hard against the ground in an impression of a lumbering badger. "Run, puny cats," he hissed, swiping at the kits with a soft paw.

The kits leaped back out of reach. "It's going for the nursery!" Shadowkit cried, amber eyes flashing. "We have to stop it!"

"Bite its tail off!" Ripplekit hissed in delight. The gray tabby crouched, his butt wiggling as he prepared to pounce, before launching himself at the apprentice. Blazepaw sidestepped the attack, leaving Ripplekit to bat wildly at the air. Redkit took his place, ramming against Blazepaw's flank. He stumbled for effect.

Shadowkit leaped high, landing on the apprentice's shoulder. Blazepaw staggered under the weight of the kit. "It's almost down!" the dark tabby yowled in triumph. One by one, the kits piled onto the larger tom. Skykit pounced at his back, and Sunnykit wrapped herself around his neck. Blazepaw gave a final growl, but the weight of so many kits was too much for him. He allowed himself to finally be wrestled to the ground. He thrashed and fought, careful not to harm any of the kits, before finally letting his limbs thump to the ground in defeat.

"We killed the badger!" Sunnykit crowed. The tawny kit darted up to Blazepaw, swiping a tiny paw at his nose. He stayed still, allowing the kit her triumph.

Finchkit finally spoke from his seat beside Lightpaw. "Well done," he called to the younger kits. "Why don't you find that moss ball you were using for prey-toss earlier, and let Blazepaw up so he can breathe?"

The kits obeyed, clambering off the pale tabby and letting him get his footing back. "I'll get there first," Sunnykit declared.

"Nu-uh, I will!" The kits took off, racing for the far corner of the den, where a clump of moss waited.

Blazepaw purred in amusement as he came to sit beside Finchkit and Lightpaw. "Squirrelflight and Dovewing must have their paws full with them," he commented. "The nursery hasn't been this full since I was a kit."

"It's easier when Daisy's around," Finchkit replied.

The apprentice glanced at Finchkit, adding, "At least there'll be one less kit soon." Word had spread that day that Bramblestar would be holding a ceremony at sunhigh. Finchkit was six moons old, and would be made an apprentice. "Are you excited for the ceremony?"

Finchkit shrugged. "I guess." Blazepaw was surprised to see how subdued the golden tabby looked. He sat quietly beside Lightpaw, his eyes cast to the ground, and his tail curled loosely around his paws.

It didn't take Jayfeather to guess what Finchkit was thinking about. His sister, Petalkit, had perished in the same flood that had taken Dewpaw. "She'll be watching you today," he promised Finchkit. "Think of how proud she'll be."

The kit just nodded silently. Blazepaw shared a helpless glance with Lightpaw. He had no idea what else to say to cheer Finchkit up, and he doubted Lightpaw, quiet tom that he was, would have any better an idea.

Distraction from Finchkit's grief came in the form of the other kits. They'd found their moss ball, and, after a brief battle, had returned to the older cats with it. "Blazepaw, will you play moss ball with us?" Redkit asked.

The apprentice shook his head, trying to shake his worry. "Sure!"

He returned to the kits, batting at the moss ball as it was hurled towards him. Lightpaw hung back with Finchkit. The young apprentice was as shy as ever, awkward around the younger kits, and quiet around older cats. Blazepaw only hoped he would be better company for Finchkit while he kept the little ones distracted.

Blazepaw continued playing with the kits, batting the moss ball about and playing the part of Tigerstar when they decided to play Dark Battle. Their game was only interrupted when Daisy returned to the nursery, along with Cloudtail and Brightheart.

When they entered the den, the kits once again had Blazepaw wrestled to the ground, and were all piled on top of him. Daisy _mrowrred_in laughter at the sight of the apprentice. "Get up, little ones, don't squash poor Blazepaw," she chided. The kits scrambled off, running up to Daisy.

Blazepaw got back to his paws, shaking the dust out of his pelt. "I really don't mind," he told Daisy.

"I know you don't," the queen mewed as she settled back into her nest. The kits, finished greeting the new arrivals, had gone off to play some new game. "But it's not nice manners to flatten your Clanmates, and they know better."

Finchkit stood as Brightheart and Cloudtail approached him, touching noses with them in greeting. "Hi," he mewed quietly.

Brightheart's blue eyes shone as she greeted the kit. "We heard Bramblestar's making you an apprentice today," she said in a warm mew. "Congratulations."

The kit dipped his head. "Thank you." He lowered his voice, murmuring almost too softly for Blazepaw to hear. "I just wish Petalkit could be with me."

"I know," Brightheart mewed softly. "I'm sorry."

Cloudtail joined her, nudging the kit with his muzzle. Finchkit glanced bleakly back at the elder, saying nothing as Cloudtail told him, "Ceremonies are the hardest. When Snowfall and Ambertalon became warriors, it made it all the harder to remember that Dewpaw wasn't there to get his name with them."

His mate added, "But it's your big day, Finchkit. Try not to get your thoughts stuck on your grief all day. This should be a day to enjoy."

Finchkit crumpled in on himself, leaning against Brightheart's leg. To Blazepaw's surprise, the old she-cat leaned down and began grooming the young tom, giving him the comforting licks that a mother would give to her kit. He'd seen Finchkit hanging around the elder's den with Cloudtail and Brightheart when they'd stayed in the twoleg nest, but he hadn't realized just how much they had bonded. Their common grief must have united them.

Blazepaw turned away, not wanting to intrude on the clearly private moment. Now that Daisy was here, he wasn't needed as kit-sitter anymore, so he headed out of the den and into camp. He was surprised to see Snowfall descending from Bramblestar's den. The white tom looked dazed, amber eyes clouded with thought. Blazepaw approached him, calling out, "Snowfall!"

Snowfall looked up in surprise. "Oh, hi Blazepaw." The tom shook his head, as if trying to focus. "What's up?"

"Not much," Blazepaw answered. He glanced up at the High Ledge, asking, "Were you visiting Bramblestar? What did he want?"

His friend's eyes took on that glazed look again, and he sounded almost in awe as he told Blazepaw, "He wants me to mentor Finchkit."

Blazepaw gaped at Snowfall. "You're a mentor already?" Snowfall had only been made a warrior a moon ago. That was unusually young for a mentor. He couldn't help the sharp jab of jealousy to his gut at the news. Snowfall was a warrior before him, and now he was to be a mentor before Blazepaw even earned his name? But he managed to shake off his jealous thoughts. This was a huge honor for his friend. He butted his head against Snowfall's shoulder, purring, "That's really great, Snowfall!"

"Thanks," Snowfall said. The tom was starting to sound more grounded now as the news really sunk in. He took a step back, saying, "I should go get ready. It'll be sunhigh soon, and I want to be ready for the ceremony." With a final flick of his tail, he padded off towards the warrior's den.

The apprentice watched him go for a few moments, then made his way for the apprentice's den. Silentpaw was out training with Ivypool, so the only cat there was Sparkpaw, replacing some of the bedding with fresh moss. He looked up as Blazepaw padded in. "Done with kit-sitting already?" the tom asked gruffly. Sparkpaw wasn't as hostile to Blazepaw as he was to his sister, but he still seemed to understand that Blazepaw didn't like him very much.

"Yeah, though your brother's still there," Blazepaw told him. "It's almost time for the ceremony."

Sparkpaw finished arranging the last of the moss and straightened, amber eyes bright with interest. "Good, I finished putting together a nest for him in time." He tipped his head curiously. "I wonder who Bramblestar will pick as his mentor?"

Blazepaw considered telling him what Snowfall had said, but decided against it. Sparkpaw would find out soon enough. Besides, it was somehow satisfying to know something his denmate didn't. "I guess we'll find out," he said instead.

"Yeah. I just hope he starts his battle training soon," Sparkpaw commented. "With ShadowClan hunting on our territory, we need all the fighting cats we can get."

The ginger apprentice felt a prickle of surprise. ShadowClan scents hadn't been found over the border in nearly a moon, and the only scents that had been found had been too faint to make out. He'd been very angry when he'd first found the scents, but with how much time had passed, he doubted that much more was going to come of it. Trust Sparkpaw to find a way to see battle coming. "There's more for a new apprentice to learn than just fighting," he said stiffly. "With leafbare, I'd think learning to hunt would be more important. No point in defending our territory if we can't feed ourselves in it."

Sparkpaw looked like he was about to argue, but a ringing cry from outside the den interrupted him. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the High Ledge for a Clan meeting!" Both apprentices looked up, heading for the den's entrance after a brief pause.

A small crowd had already gathered around the High Ledge. Blazepaw could see Ambertalon and Seedlight towards the front of the crowd. He left Sparkpaw to seek out his brother, navigating through the crowd until he reached them. Ambertalon mewed a friendly greeting as he sat beside the warriors.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Silentpaw sitting beside Ivypool, chatting brightly with her mentor. He felt something in his stomach clench at the sight of her. It had been hard enough when he was just dealing with his difficulty in forgiving Silentpaw for leaving the way she had. But it was worse than that now. Over the last moon, he'd been noticing Silentpaw slipping out of camp on her own every so often. She always brought back prey, but she carried strange, faint scents, and she always seemed cheerful after she'd been gone.

He hadn't thought much of it the first few times. But it had kept happening. Silentpaw was sneaking out of camp, and she was keeping something secret. And he had a horrible feeling he might know what it was. It was no secret that Silentpaw had close friends in RiverClan, and Eeltooth was one of the closest. Blazepaw seen how utterly at ease his sister had seemed around the RiverClan warrior. What if Silentpaw was sneaking out of camp to see him?

Blazepaw didn't want to suspect his sister of betraying her Clan like that. But he couldn't honestly say that it would be unlike it. She had proved time and time again that she held very little regard for the boundaries between Clans. But this was so much bigger than helping RiverClan catch a few squirrels, and much more dangerous. If she truly had found a mate outside the Clan, that meant divided loyalties, sneaking around to meet each other, and the danger of being punished or even exiled if caught. He couldn't imagine what she was thinking. Didn't she realize how dangerous and stupid this was?

However, at the moment, he had no proof, and no desire to confront her about it until he had a better idea of what was going on. And the middle of a Clan meeting was not the best place to ponder on it, so he turned his attention back to Bramblestar and the High Ledge. Beneath it stood Finchkit. The kit's golden pelt was smooth and sleek, almost glinting in the sunlight. Hazeltail had outdone herself grooming her son for his big day. Blazepaw could see her and Foxleap now, staring at Finchkit with fierce pride.

Bramblestar finally began the ceremony. "Once again, we come together to celebrate a survivor of the terrible flood that drove us from out home." He dipped his head, rumbling, "There should be two cats standing before me today. We will never forget Petalkit." Blazepaw saw Finchkit dip his head, eyes glazed with grief. "But today is not a day of mourning. This is a day for one young cat to set his paws on the path to becoming a full warrior of this Clan."

The huge tabby looked down upon the small, golden kit. He called out clearly to every cat, "From this moment on, until he has earned his warrior name, this cat will be known as Finchpaw." For a moment, the grief lifted from Finchpaw's shoulders, and Blazepaw saw the new apprentice lift his head proudly, joy shining in his eyes. "Snowfall, you are young. But you too know the grief of losing a littermate to the flood. You are a steady, compassionate, and wise warrior, and I have no doubt you will be a good mentor for young Finchpaw. Pass onto him what Mousewhisker taught to you."

Snowfall stepped out of the crowd. Blazepaw could see that he had groomed his snow-white pelt carefully, and his amber eyes were burning with pride. The apprentice felt his own pride and joy for his friend as Snowfall touched noses with Finchpaw. He saw Snowfall murmur something to his new apprentice, and Finchpaw's ears perk with interest.

The Clan broke out into cheering. "Finchpaw! Finchpaw! Finchpaw!" The newly-named Finchpaw looked up in surprise, as though he'd forgotten that his Clanmates were watching. He shrunk back from all the cats at first, but after a moment, he lifted his chin proudly, allowing his Clan's pride to wash over him.

After a few minutes, the meeting broke up. Blazepaw wove through the dispersing cats to reach Snowfall and Finchpaw. "Congratulations," he told the new apprentice, touching noses with him briefly. "Any plans for the rest of the day?"

"I was thinking we could take a tour of the territory," Snowfall answered. Finchpaw perked up visibly at the idea. "Would you like to come with us, Blazepaw?"

Blazepaw blinked in surprise. He'd have thought Snowfall would want to handle his first day as a mentor on his own. The fact that he was trying to make Blazepaw feel included, and assure him that they were still best friends even when Snowfall was being given all these new honors, was touching. His tail curled in joy, and he purred, "I'd love to."

Worrying about ShadowClan and Silentpaw could wait.

* * *

This chapter is something of a last-minute addition. I was going to cut right to the plot of the next chapter (which you'll discover soon), but soon realized I needed a chapter in between. I then remembered I'd forgotten to insert Finchpaw's apprentice ceremony into the chapters I'd planned out, so this chapter happened.

So yes, Finchpaw is an apprentice, and Snowfall, lucky cat, is his mentor. And Blazepaw has noticed Silentpaw has been sneaking out of camp, but has the wrong idea of why - or does he?

I shall try to post again soon.


	12. Chapter Ten

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Ten

Bramblestar stood atop the High Ledge. Silentpaw waited in the crowd below, listening intently. Her leader was naming the cats who would attend tonight's Gathering. He'd named several warriors already, including her mentor.

The tabby finished his list with, "Blazepaw, Silentpaw, and Finchpaw." Silentpaw let out the breath she'd been holding. She'd been hoping to be picked for this Gathering. As much as she enjoyed meeting Darkbreeze on the border, it had been a while since she'd seen her other friends.

Silentpaw joined Ivypool as the chosen cats began to gather. "I wonder what Tigerstar will say tonight," she commented.

"If I know him, something mouse-brained," Ivypool grunted. The warrior was holding herself stiffly, her chin tilted up and her tail-tip twitching. "Let's just hope he doesn't actually start the war he nearly did last Gathering."

With a shrug, Silentpaw told her mentor, "Mistystar won't start a fight if she doesn't have to."

Ivypool paused, then shook her head. "I suppose. But if Tigerstar keeps being a mouse-brain, he might not give her any choice." The fur down Silentpaw's back prickled at the words. Ivypool was right – if Tigerstar pushed Mistystar enough, she would defend her Clan by any means necessary.

Bramblestar's yowl signaled that the Gathering group was ready to go. Silentpaw and Ivypool followed their Clanmates as they set off into the forest. As their group padded on, Silentpaw wondered about the coming Gathering. Would it be as tense as last time? Had ShadowClan been stealing more prey from RiverClan? And what would Bramblestar say about the scents they had found?

It didn't take them long to reach WindClan's territory. Every time Silentpaw had to travel across the moor, it reminded her of that night she had struggled through the mud and the rain on a foolish quest to reach RiverClan. She was grateful that the weather was mild now, and her Clanmates were with her. The apprentice felt far more at ease in WindClan's territory now.

Apparently, her Clanmates didn't all feel the same. Beside her, Lightpaw shuddered. "I just can't get used to not being able to see trees overhead," he murmured. Finchpaw, beside him, also seemed uneasy.

Silentpaw joked, "I'm pretty used to it."

Lightpaw stiffened. He swung his head towards her, voice rising in panic as he mewed hastily, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine," Silentpaw assured him. She fought the urge to scoff – Lightpaw was a gentle sort of cat who meant well. He probably really did think he'd insulted her somehow, no matter how mousebrained that was. She didn't need to insult him on top of his own embarrassment. "I was just joking. I'm sure the moor must look very different to the forest, and it does feel different to me, even if I can't see it. The wind sounds different when it's not brushing against the trees."

Finchpaw's ears perked in interest. "Really?"

She nodded. "It was the same in RiverClan. They don't have as many trees, so the wind just sounds different. And there's so many different scents. It takes some getting used to. But getting used to new environments is an important skill for a warrior. You never know where you'll have to fight, or travel." Silentpaw gave Lightpaw's shoulder a friendly nudge, adding, "Besides, exploring new places is fun."

As they were speaking, the ThunderClan cats were coming up on the horseplace. Silentpaw lifted her head, sniffing curiously at huge structure. Now that her head was no longer with the roar of pounding rain and the dull stench of water, the strange scents of the horseplace were less overwhelming. Lightpaw seemed uncertain, and Finchpaw shrank back beside him, but Silentpaw kept sniffing, listening to the horses grazing and nickering to each other.

To her surprise, over the noises of the horses, she heard pawsteps approaching from the den. Bramblestar halted his cats as a strange cat walked towards them, coming to sit before them. "Hello," the cat greeted shyly. Silentpaw was surprised how much the she-cat's voice sounded like Daisy's soft mew.

Bramblestar dipped his head to the strange she-cat. "Greetings, Floss," he said politely. Silentpaw's ears perked with interest. Floss, Daisy's sister, and another mate of the loner Smoky. Her scent was very similar to Daisy's, but carried far more of twoleg stench and the scent of horses and straw.

"Nice to see you again," the she-cat mewed softly. "Is Daisy with you?"

The leader shook his head, telling her, "She's in camp looking after the kits." He tipped his head curiously. "Was there something you needed to tell her?"

Floss shrunk back, seeming more nervous now that she knew her littermate wasn't present. "Nothing important," she mumbled, paws shuffling. "I just wanted to let her know I'm expecting kits."

"Congratulations," Bramblestar said warmly. "We'll be sure to let her know. Perhaps we can arrange for a patrol to bring her to visit when they're born."

The loner mumbled a quick thanks, then scurried back to her den. Silentpaw blinked, surprised by the quick exit. "She wasn't very friendly, was she?" she commented.

Finchpaw just shrugged. "She's an expecting mother facing a bunch of vicious wild cats," he pointed out. "You can't blame her for being a bit jumpy."

"I guess," Silentpaw allowed. "Still, you'd think she'd be used to the Clans by now. Her sister's one of us, after all." Then again, she supposed it wasn't fair to be so hard on the loner. She was used to it being only her and Smoky, and she had her unborn kits to worry about. Silentpaw couldn't imagine what it was like to live with so few cats. How could you wake up every morning without the security of knowing there's a whole Clan of cats who have your back? At least she would have her new litter soon. New kits were a blessing for anyone, rogue or Clan cat.

Bramblestar led the Clan away from the horseplace, finally reaching the pebble-bridge. Now that every cat knew the bridge wasn't going to fall apart under their paws, they were a lot more confident crossing it. Cats crossed briskly, not faltering until they reached the island. The only cat who hesitated was Finchpaw. He stood, bristling, before the pebble-bridge, but a few murmured words from Snowfall seemed to calm him. The young warrior led his apprentice across the bridge without issue.

Silentpaw waited as Ivypool crossed, then started towards the bridge. The mud still felt too slimy and wet over the pebbles, but the bridge was solid under her paws. It only took her a few moments to cross to the Gathering island. Once she was across, she left her mentor behind, searching for her friends, Lightpaw and Finchpaw choosing to follow her.

ShadowClan and RiverClan were there, but Silentpaw didn't scent any WindClan cats yet. They must have been running late. Lightpaw and Finchpaw still stuck beside her. Finchpaw seemed anxious, his pelt fluffed up and his tail lashing back and forth, and even Lightpaw, far more experienced with Gatherings, seemed uneasy. As she sniffed for her friends, she heard Lightpaw murmur, "I hope Tigerstar doesn't start trouble again."

Silentpaw's own worries came to mind again, but she shoved them violently back. "We'll be fine," she told Lightpaw. "Tigerstar might be a mousebrain, but I don't think even he would break the truce."

A familiar scent wove its way towards Silentpaw. Her ears flew up, and she purred as the RiverClan warrior approached her. "Good to see you again, Eeltooth," she greeted warmly.

"You too," he grunted. Finchpaw shrank back from the sleek warrior, gaining Eeltooth's attention. "Who's this?"

Silentpaw waved her tail towards the younger apprentice. "This is our newest apprentice, Finchpaw. Finchpaw, this is Eeltooth, he's a warrior of RiverClan, and a friend of mine. And you might have already met my denmate, Lightpaw." The older apprentice dipped his head respectfully, but Finchpaw still seemed intimidated.

Eeltooth seemed to sense the young cat was nervous. The tom's usually gruff tone softened as he told Finchpaw, "Silentpaw and I hunted together when she stayed with my Clan." His voice took on a hint of mischief as he added, "Ask me sometime about the time she mistook a weasel's burrow as a good place to bury prey."

Silentpaw gaped at Eeltooth. "You wouldn't dare." He remained in smug silence, so she turned to Finchpaw. "Fine. Then ask me sometime about how he got his tail stuck in the bramble patch and nearly tripped into the lake."

The young apprentice started to relax in the face of their easy banter. "Sounds like a funny story."

Finchpaw was more at ease, but Lightpaw still seemed withdrawn. He flicked his tail, telling Finchpaw, "Come on, we better go find our mentors. Want to come, Silentpaw?" Eeltooth stiffened, but Silentpaw knew Lightpaw wasn't trying to be rude. He had never been very at ease around his own Clanmates, let alone cats from other Clans.

"No, I think I'll stay here," she told him. "See you later." Lightpaw mewed a final goodbye, then he and Finchpaw left to find their mentors, leaving Silentpaw with Eeltooth.

She and Eeltooth started off towards a clump of ferns, brushing pelts as they walked. "How's Finstrike?" she asked.

"Alright. She didn't get to come tonight, her ear's still healing."

"Her ear?" Silentpaw stiffened in alarm. "What happened to her ear?"

Eeltooth was silent for a few moments. When he spoke again, it was in a low growl. "ShadowClan cats are still hunting on our territory. Mistystar decided she'd had enough. We've been attacking any ShadowClan patrol we see on our territory."

Silentpaw's tail bristled in shock. She hadn't realized that battles had been raged across the lake. The situation with ShadowClan was far more serious than she'd thought. She mewed, "That's not good. What about you, did you get hurt?" They settled down against the clump of ferns, a little ways away from the other cats, and blocked from view by a patch of brambles.

He nodded. "A tabby scratched me on the muzzle." Eeltooth held up his head, seeming proud of the scar.

Silentpaw lifted her front paws, reaching out to pat at his muzzle. Her paws felt the long, jagged scar that ran across his lips. "That feels pretty bad," she mewed. "Did it hurt?"

"Yeah, but it's fine now," he told her. "And it looks really cool. Every warrior should have a good scar or two."

Suddenly, the nearby brambles rustled, and a cat burst through, bristling. Eeltooth and Silentpaw leaped to their paws, ready for a fight, but the familiar scent stopped the apprentice in her tracks. "Blazepaw?" Her pelt began to lie flat now that the threat of attack was gone, but she was still confused. "What's going on?"

Her brother was bristling, his back arched in fury. "Are you mousebrained?" he hissed. "It's bad enough that you slip out all the time, but do you have to be so obvious at the Gathering? Any cat could see you!"

Silentpaw turned towards Eeltooth, flicking her tail questioningly, but he just shrugged, as confused as she was. "What in StarClan are you talking about?" she asked her brother.

Blazepaw sat in front of them, tail jerking about crossly. "I know you've been sneaking out of camp." Silentpaw's chin tilted back in surprise. "I mean, I guess I can't totally blame you. You did spend a moon in his camp. But did you really have to pick him? Making ThunderClan suspicious by helping RiverClan wasn't enough for you or something?"

The she-cat's eyes flew open in shock as she realized what her brother was getting at. "Wait a minute. You think we're...?" She and Eeltooth turned to face each other briefly, then burst out into _mrowrrs_ and screeches of laughter. Blazepaw seemed utterly baffled as Eeltooth crouched against the ground from laughing so hard, and Silentpaw had to lean against his shoulder to support herself as she wheezed with laughter.

Once she had stopped laughing enough to breathe again, she told her brother, "I'm sorry, it's just, it seems so funny. Eeltooth and I definitely aren't mates. Never." She flicked an ear towards the tom in question as she added, "No offense."

"None taken," he said. He told the utterly confused Blazepaw, "Your sister is a really good friend of mine. But that's all. I have no interest in a mate. Never have, and I don't think I ever will."

"And Eeltooth is one of my best friends," Silentpaw added. "I don't feel for him like I would about a mate, and I don't need to. He's a great friend." Her eyes narrowed, and she added in a stiffer tone, "I'm not a fool, Blazepaw. I know better than to go sneaking around with someone from another Clan. Just because I have friends in other Clans doesn't mean I don't see the consequences of having a mate outside the Clan." She considered explaining that she was just meeting Darkbreeze, but with the way he'd blown up at her for her friendship with Eeltooth, she didn't exactly feel like angering him further.

Blazepaw hesitated, swinging his head from side to side to look uncertainly between them. Then he snorted. "Fine. Good to know." Without another word, he got up and stalked away.

Silentpaw blinked, utterly thrown. She'd known her brother had been acting weird around her ever since she came back from RiverClan, but she hadn't realized how angry he was. She stood, utterly uncertain whether to go after him, while Eeltooth stared after him with his head tilted. "What's his problem?" the RiverClan warrior asked.

She started, broken out of her uncertain haze. "He's still mad at me for leaving to help RiverClan. I didn't realize how much, though." The realization had shaken her. It was going to be much, much harder to repair things between them than she'd thought.

Eeltooth gave her a comforting lick on her ear, telling her, "Don't worry about it. You heard him, he wasn't just mad, he was worried you'd get in trouble. He cares about you."

Silentpaw lashed her tail. "Everyone keeps saying that, but every time I try to talk to him, he shuts me down."

"Then make him listen," Eeltooth suggested. "Tell him that you've noticed he's been acting up and you want to make things right. After that, it's up to him."

She turned away, ears flattening. Her brother had seemed so angry, she didn't know whether talking to him would help or if it would just result in an argument. But she had to try. She sighed, admitting, "You're right. I'll try to talk to him after the Gathering."

On the other side of the island, there was a rush of new scents, and the thundering of many paws. Silentpaw's ears perked with interest, her worries about her brother temporarily forgotten. The new scents of moor and rabbits meant that WindClan had arrived. The Gathering could finally begin.

* * *

The Gathering was going to be one chapter. Oops.

For those of you wondering whether Eeltooth and Silentpaw would ever be a thing, here's your answer. To clarify, Eeltooth is aromantic (but not ace) and will not be given a mate.

I'll try to get the rest of the Gathering finished soon.


	13. Chapter Eleven

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Eleven

Silentpaw and Eeltooth hurried to greet Darkbreeze as WindClan swarmed onto the island. The she-cat greeted them with enthusiasm, butting her head against Silentpaw's shoulder and purring loud enough for a half-deaf badger to hear. "Silentpaw! Eeltooth!" She greeted the RiverClan tom with equal gusto, which the gruff tom took unusually well. "It's so great to see you again! How are you?"

"Great," Silentpaw purred. She, Darkbreeze, and Eeltooth began retreating back to their fern clump.

As they walked, Eeltooth asked, "How are things in WindClan?"

"Pretty good," Darkbreeze answered, "though hunting's hard, you know, with leafbare and all. And things are pretty different now, after what happened last half-moon."

Silentpaw's ears perked with interest. She hadn't been able to meet Darkbreeze much in the last half-moon, so anything that had happened in WindClan would be news to her. "What happened?" she asked curiously. "Is everything with Nightfern alright?"

Darkbreeze's tail curled in delight. "Nightfern is great," she purred. "So much better now that Wetwhisker joined WindClan."

"_What?_" Both Eeltooth and Silentpaw gaped at the delighted Darkbreeze. "That ShadowClan tom?"

The warrior nodded. "Nightfern met him while she was staying with ShadowClan during the flood," she explained. "They fell in love, and she's been meeting him ever since. Last half-moon, they decided they didn't want to keep sneaking around, so Wetwhisker asked to join WindClan."

"And Ashstar just let him join?" Eeltooth asked in surprise.

Darkbreeze shrugged. "She's seen this before, with Crowfeather," she pointed out. "And Nightfern and I are her kin. I think she'd rather let some ShadowClan cat join her Clan than say no and possibly lose Nightfern forever." She glanced back towards the rest of the cats, adding, "Ashstar said she's going to watch how he does in the Clan and be sure of his loyalty before making him a full warrior. He's definitely not fully accepted yet. He and Nightfern still get a lot of glares. But I think a lot of cats are impressed they decided to be mature about it and take responsibility by having Wetwhisker leave his Clan for her rather than keep lying."

Silentpaw blinked, still trying to take it in. She didn't know Nightfern very well. Every time she'd spoken to her, she'd seemed much shyer than her sister. But Darkbreeze seemed much more at ease now that the truth had come out. Silentpaw got the feeling that now that her secret was out in the open, things were much better between the two sisters. "I'm glad she's happy," Silentpaw told Darkbreeze, "and I hope your Clanmates start to accept Wetwhisker."

"Me too," Darkbreeze said, "Especially now. A few days after he joined, Nightfern found out that she's expecting kits."

Silentpaw's ear flicked in surprise. Nightfern was young to be having kits, but Darkbreeze just sounded so happy, and she guessed she wouldn't be so cheerful about it if Nightfern had reservations. "That's great!" she purred.

Eeltooth added, "Don't worry about Wetwhisker being accepted, either. It took a while, but my Clan got used to Silentpaw well enough."

"I think it was because they realized I'm about as threatening as a two-legged badger," Silentpaw joked, nudging Eeltooth's shoulder. "Once they saw me bumbling around, they just sort of let me be."

Darkbreeze's whiskers twitched in amusement. "Well, Wetwhisker's still working on his rabbit hunting," she said. "He's definitely a lot bigger and slower than most moor runners. But I think he's starting to get the hang of it." She flicked her tail, purring, "I think he'll find his place in no time."

"Cats of all Clans, the Gathering has begun!" The three cats looked up as Ashstar's cry rang across the island. They retreated from their secluded spot, rejoining the rest of the cats as they announcements began.

Ashstar was the first to give her report, and she wasted no time in getting to the point. "Wetwhisker of ShadowClan has joined our Clan," she announced clearly. The news was met with shocked yowls and cries of surprise. Ashstar made no effort to try and stop the rush of questions and cries. She just waited until cats fell silent of their own accord before continuing, "He is a welcome addition to WindClan, and my Clan will be all the stronger for it. Nightfern is now in the nursery expecting his kits. We look forward to the birth of these new kits, and the raising of new warriors."

Her strong tone dared anyone to challenge her on the matter. A few cats were still grumbling, but no voice rose enough for Ashstar to hear. The leader continued, "Sedgewhisker gave birth to three healthy kits two sunrises ago. I have nothing else to report." She stepped back, allowing another leader to take her place. Silentpaw could still hear cats grumbling, and even some warrior growling at each other. It mostly seemed to be the RiverClan and ShadowClan warriors around her that were snarling. It was clear these cats had battled recently, and were waiting to see if either Clan would push the other into a new battle.

Bramblestar was the next to address the Clans. He rumbled, "Hunting is hard, as it is every leafbare, but ThunderClan is faring well in the cold weather. We bring with us today a new apprentice. Finchpaw has begun his training, and is being mentored by Snowfall."

The atmosphere seemed to relax when Bramblestar spoke. None of the battling Clans currently had a quarrel with ThunderClan, and Snowfall was popular with the other Clans. Cats all around were cheering, "Finchpaw! Snowfall! Finchpaw! Snowfall!" Silentpaw didn't know where Finchpaw was in the crowd, but she was willing to bet he was shying away from all the attention.

As the cheering died down, Bramblestar fell silent, his report at an end. Silentpaw's tail twitched in surprise. He hadn't mentioned the ShadowClan scents over the border. After a moment's though, however, she decided that made sense. Things were already far more tense than at the last Gathering, with the revelation of Wetwhisker's choice and the clear tensions between RiverClan and ShadowClan. It would only anger every cat further if Bramblestar brought up faint scents from a moon ago that might not have even been trespassers.

There was a brief shuffling of paws, and a snarl from Mistystar as she cut off Tigerstar's attempt to step forward. The RiverClan leader's voice was heavy with rage as she snarled out, "ShadowClan has been stealing prey!"

Yowls of outrage broke out from the ShadowClan warriors. Silentpaw froze, shocked by the intense reaction. She heard Tigerstar growl, "That's a lie!" The apprentice noted with surprise that Tigerstar's tone didn't have the same certainty that it'd had at the last Gathering.

"Are you blind?" Mistystar hissed. "My warriors have been battling invading ShadowClan patrols for the last moon! The scars we all bear are proof enough. Will you try denying that foxes have red pelts next?"

There was a brief silence. Silentpaw was starting to become truly confused. She leaned closer to her friends, hissing, "Why is Tigerstar acting like he doesn't know about the fighting?"

"Maybe he really didn't know," Darkbreeze murmured back. Silentpaw's pelt prickled eerily at the thought. Perhaps Tigerstar wasn't behind these attacks. Did he truly have so little control over his own warriors that they were waging full war on another Clan without his knowledge? Somehow, that thought was far more terrifying than a leader who had gotten too greedy.

Finally, the ShadowClan leader blustered, "I don't have to justify my Clan's actions to you. You've clearly driven us out, you won. No need to keep yowling about it."

Mistystar started to retort, but the furious yowling of her warriors drowned her out. Eeltooth was bristling with pure fury beside, Silentpaw, and she could hear all the RiverClan cats she had come to know so well yowling and screeching pure venom at the ShadowClan leader. And to her shock, it wasn't just RiverClan voices she heard. Shrewfoot sat near the apprentice, along with two other warriors, Snowbird and Treeshadow. All three she-cats were adding their voices to the caterwauling, screeching curses at their own leader. Such a blatant show of disrespect from Tigerstar's own Clanmates utterly shocked Silentpaw. She couldn't imagine what Tigerstar must have done to earn such disloyalty.

When the wailing finally died down, Mistystar spoke again. She seemed to have realized just how many ShadowClan voices had risen against their own leader, for her voice was far more subdued now, tinged with surprise. "You're showing the same arrogance as another cat of your name," she warned in a low growl. Silentpaw's eyes widened at the insult. "Just keep your cats off of my territory, or you'll have more than your own warriors to worry about."

Silentpaw took in a sharp breath. "I've never seen a Clan so angry at their own leader before," she breathed.

"Me neither," Eeltooth admitted. Even after his own fury at ShadowClan, he seemed shocked by their behavior towards their leader. "Even if I disagreed with something Mistystar had done, I'd never yowl about it at a Gathering."

The apprentice had to agree. Unless Bramblestar had done something truly monstrous, she would never humiliate him in front of the other Clans like that. But a part of her had to wonder if Tigerstar didn't deserve it. For all appearances, he was a truly terrible leader. He hadn't noticed that his own warriors were coming back from hunting with their pelts clawed up by RiverClan warriors, he was arrogant, stubborn, oblivious. He wasn't the sort of leader Silentpaw would ever want to follow. Perhaps it only right that ShadowClan was showing him such disloyalty.

Tigerstar showed tact for the first time in his leadership and didn't respond to Mistystar's threat. Instead, he began his report in a carefully clipped tone. "Olivenose has moved into the nursery, expecting kits. There is nothing else to report." He stepped back.

"Olivenose is expecting kits?" Darkbreeze repeated in surprise. "Doesn't she have an apprentice? Who's training him?"

A nearby ShadowClan cat, a young apprentice by the sound of it, hissed back, "No one. She's still training Smokepaw."

Silentpaw's eyes widened. "She's training an apprentice and helping Tigerstar run the Clan, all while expecting kits?" She shook her head, awed. "Tigerstar may be a mousebrain, but it sounds like his mate doesn't mess around."

Mistystar waited until Tigerstar was silent, then completed her report. "Mossyfoot's kits were born a few sunrises ago. She gave birth to a healthy she-cat and tom." The end of her report signaled the end of the Gathering. Silentpaw was more relieved than she could say. Tigerstar hadn't been nearly as aggressive, but somehow, it had still been far worse than the last Gathering.

As cats began saying their goodbyes, Darkbreeze told her friends, "Come on, I want you two to meet Wetwhisker." She led them away through the mass of cats, finally halting as they reached the cat in question. "Wetwhisker, Nightfern, I'd like you to meet my friends. This is Silentpaw of ThunderClan, and Eeltooth of RiverClan. Guys, this is Wetwhisker, and you've already met Nightfern."

"Nice to meet you again," Nightfern murmured. She was as quiet as ever, but somehow, her voice sounded lighter, more at ease. Silentpaw could hear how she and Wetwhisker were standing close enough for their pelts to touch, and Nightfern's scent was now tinged with the milk-scent that Silentpaw knew from ThunderClan's nursery.

Silentpaw dipped her head to her. "Likewise," she said in a friendly mew.

"It's nice to meet you, Silentpaw and Eeltooth," Wetwhisker rumbled. From where his voice came from, the tom sounded absolutely massive, even taller than Silentpaw's father. And somehow, that voice sounded familiar. She froze as she realized she had met this tom before – at the border between RiverClan and ShadowClan. When she had been staying with RiverClan, two warriors, Wetwhisker and Specklefoot, had come to the border looking for Tawnypelt. They had met Silrntpaw and assumed she was an apprentice of RiverClan. What if Wetwhisker recognized her now? He might assume RiverClan and ThunderClan had an alliance against his former Clan.

Silentpaw shrank back against Eeltooth, trying to keep from his sight as much as possible. Luckily, the tom didn't seem to notice anything. "We should go," was all he said. "Ashstar will be expecting us."

Nightfern nodded. "You're right. Nice to see you two again," she told the ThunderClan and RiverClan cats in a quiet, friendly mew. "See you at the next Gathering."

"See you then," Eeltooth returned. Apparently, he hadn't realized who Wetwhisker was. Silentpaw didn't relax until the new mates had padded away to rejoin their Clan.

After they left, Darkbreeze told her friends, "I should probably go too. I don't want to keep Ashstar waiting." She touched noses with both cats, purring, "I'll see you again soon." With a final flick of her tail, the WindClan warrior bounded after her sister.

Eeltooth grew somber after Darkbreeze left. In a low voice, he told Silentpaw, "If Tigerstar can't control his own warriors, they're not going to stop. They'll just keep hunting on my territory, because they know they can get away with it. And with hunting as hard as it is, I don't know whether we'll be able to keep feeding ourselves while constantly watching our borders to make sure ShadowClan isn't there." The two cats began walking, wandering the island as they spoke.

Silentpaw's chest clenched with cold fear. "And if they can't find prey on your territory, they'll come looking for it on ours," she whispered back. "We've already found a few scents over the border." Eeltooth glanced at her, stiffening in surprise. "With the way they were acting tonight, I wouldn't be shocked if we find ShadowClan warriors on territory very soon."

As they walked, they passed Shrewfoot and her warriors again. Silentpaw froze as she overheard the warrior meowing loudly, "It's a disgrace. Tigerstar couldn't even see what was going on right under his nose, and now Wetwhisker is gone. What kind of leader doesn't notice such treachery going on in his own Clan?"

Another warrior, Snowbird, hissed, "Tigerstar wouldn't know if a rat had nested in our camp and were calling itself a warrior. He isn't fit to be any cat's leader."

"Rowanstar was a fool to make him his deputy," Treeshadow added in a snarl. "He can't feed our Clan, he can't keep himself from getting us into fights for two heartbeats, and he can't even keep his own warriors from scattering like leaves."

Shrewfoot lifted her head high, saying in a loud, clear tone, "But what should any of us have expected from the son of that ThunderClan traitor?" Silentpaw and Eeltooth both flinched in shock. The apprentice couldn't believe was she was hearing. Shrewfoot was daring to blame Tigerstar's poor leadership on his ThunderClan blood?

"We've seen it time and time again." Shrewfoot was practically making her speech to the whole of the Gathering at this point. All around, cats were falling silent, their attention on Blackstar's daughter. "Cats with divided loyalties live divided lives. How can we ever expect Tigerstar to be loyal to us when he has two paws in ThunderClan?"

Snowbird snarled, "His very birth broke the warrior code. Tawnypelt may have joined us, but her blood tainted our Clan. I see that now."

_Alright, that's it._ Cats all around were grumbling and muttering, but none had challenged Shrewfoot yet. And Silentpaw'd had enough. "Well, well," she growled, loud enough for Shrewfoot to hear. "I always thought cats would mock me for being the blind apprentice. I never thought, after all this time, I'd still have to worry about being hated for my blood." She stood tall and proud, daring Shrewfoot to challenge her. "My father is half WindClan. Do you think my Clan should run me out of the forest because of something I can't control?"

"And my leader is half ThunderClan, just like Tigerstar," Eeltooth spat. He stood strong beside Silentpaw, his hackles starting to raise. "Would you have her banished for Bluestar's crime?"

Snowbird and Treeshadow bristled, but Shrewfoot just stood steady in the face of Silentpaw and Eeltooth's anger. "Like I said, divided blood means divided loyalties," she said simply. "A cat whose absolute first concern isn't the preservation of their own Clan can't be trusted. Cats like you are no better than rogues."

Silentpaw bared her fangs at the arrogant she-cat. Her blood was positively boiling with rage. She was ready to tell her exactly who she thought wasn't trustworthy of the two f them, but Eeltooth cut her off, growling at Shrewfoot, "Worry about your own Clan, Shrewfoot. Our loyalty is our own business." The RiverClan tom shoved Silentpaw away from Shrewfoot and her cats, leading her away. He told her in a low voice, "She just wanted you to blow up at her to prove her point. What better proof that halfClan cats aren't trustworthy than to make one break the truce?"

"It would've been her own fault," Silentpaw snapped, still reeling with rage. But as she and Eeltooth walked on, and her fury began to fade, she realized reluctantly that he was right. Getting into a fight with Shrewfoot would have only made things worse. She sighed, forcing her hackles to lie flat. "You're right," she rasped. "Thanks for stopping me."

He touched noses with her briefly. "Well, someone's got to stop you from running headfirst into trouble," he joked. "I need to get back to my Clan now. See you again next Gathering."

Silentpaw nodded. "See you then." Her tail curled as she added, "Maybe if we're lucky, I'll be a warrior when I see you again."

"Maybe," Eeltooth replied, amused. "Good luck to you and your Clan." He padded off, leaving Silentpaw alone with her worries.

**SCENEBREAK**

"Silentpaw?"

The apprentice looked up wearily. It was the same night, far after ThunderClan had returned from the Gathering. It was long after the rest of her Clan, and yet Silentpaw hadn't been able to get a wink of sleep. She'd given up on sleep a while ago and had wandered out of camp, lying atop the stone wall above the camp. It was a nice place to sit and be alone, and to still hear her Clanmates snoring peacefully below. But apparently, she wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep.

She turned her head to face the tom, giving a weary wave of her tail in greeting. "Hi Jayfeather," she mewed quietly.

The medicine cat settled beside her, his pelt brushing against hers. "I could hear you worrying away from my den," he grunted.

Jayfeather was the one who could read minds, but Silentpaw knew his mind well enough to guess his thoughts. "Admit it," she said, "you couldn't sleep either."

There was a pause. "No." Jayfeather tucked his paws under his chest, settling. "I'm as worried about what we heard tonight as you are."

Those worries squirmed inside her chest, powerful enough to make her ache. "You heard Shrewfoot tonight," she murmured. "She has it out for halfClan cats. I thought it was just one mousebrained leader being greedy. But it's so much worse." She shook her head, trying to ignore the twisting fear in her gut. "She's not going to stop. She's going to keep stealing prey and attacking patrols, because she knows Tigerstar won't stop her, and she thinks she's justified. She probably hates RiverClan – their leader is halfClan, after all. And ThunderClan's notorious for taking in strays and halfClans. What will she do to us?"

Jayfeather was silent for several moments. Finally, he challenged, "Are you afraid?"

"Of course I am," Silentpaw snapped. "I'm scared of any cat who hates so openly. She's not going to stop, and she'll come for our Clan next. And with hunting so hard, we're already weak. Our warriors aren't eating as well as they should be." Silentpaw's own pelt hung a little too loosely on her frame, and she could hear hunger sharpen the mews of all her Clanmates. "If ShadowClan attacks, it won't go well for us. So yeah, I'm afraid."

The medicine cat nodded, satisfied. "Good. You should be. Only a fool wouldn't be afraid."

Silentpaw waited in wary silence. Ever since her return from RiverClan, Jayfeather had been acting cold towards her, same as Blazepaw. This was the first time he had approached her since her return two moons ago. What would he say to her?

"I'm sorry." Silentpaw blinked in surprise to hear the words escape the stubborn tom's mouth. "I shouldn't have shut you out like that." He gave a swift, comforting lick to her ear. "I understand why you left for RiverClan. But it's not just your thoughts I can hear. I can feel all the pain and fear your parents and brother have been feeling, and everything they've been feeling since you got back. It was difficult to deal with their fear for you on top of my own. But it still wasn't right to just ignore you like that. I'm truly sorry."

Silentpaw curled against the medicine cat, suddenly too exhausted to be wary any longer. The long trek to the Gathering island and back, her worries over Shrewfoot, and her family, had her utterly bone-tired. "Blazepaw is furious with me," she murmured, "and my parents."

"They're angry, yes," Jayfeather told her. Her uncle laid his chin over her head, curling protectively around her, as though she were still a kit. "But it's anger born of worry. You left them with no way of knowing whether you were alive, or if you'd been drowned in the lake. Now that you're back safe and sound, they're angry that you made them worry like that. But they won't be angry forever. Talk to them."

The apprentice nodded groggily. Relief crashed over her like a wave. Jayfeather had forgiven her, he truly had. And if he had, perhaps she could get Blazepaw and her parents to do the same. As her fears began to fade, at least for the present, she became aware of how utterly exhausted she was. With Jayfeather curled beside her, Silentpaw finally managed to drift off to sleep.

* * *

Another chapter done already. :P I should really be focusing more on finals. But I wrote most of this late at night, after studying. I probably won't get another chapter done until after finals, though, so you'll have to wait. At least you get a pretty long chapter this time. It's nearly 4000 words.

Ugh, I'm not totally happy with this chapter, especially towards the end. But it's done, at least.

Yes, as at least one reader guessed, Nightfern was sneaking out of camp to meet a ShadowClan tom. The tom in question is Wetwhisker. And instead of sneaking around until either someone dies or gets caught or kits are born with divided loyalties, Wetwhisker left his Clan behind to be with Nightfern.

I'm considering writing a short, novella-styled story about Nightfern's moon with ShadowClan, falling in love with Wetwhisker, and their choice to be together in WindClan. I would call it, "Nightfern's Choice." If I write it, it would probably be after the main series, but who knows. I might find some time this summer to write it. ^^

Also, I'm starting to get close to being halfway through this story. That's kind of insane. I'll be onto book three before I know it.

Seems like Tigerstar doesn't have very good control over his Clan. And Shrewfoot is prejudiced. And Olivenose is expecting kits. And cats are going hungry in all four Clans. Fun times.

A small timeskip for the next chapter, and we're back to Blazepaw's POV.

Also, something I meant to mention a while back - when a cat dies in my fanfic, I'll say which spirit accompanied them to StarClan.

Dewpaw was led to StarClan by Whitewing, his sister.

Petalkit was led to StarClan by Icecloud, her father's sister. Icecloud is also acting as Petalkit's mother in StarClan, looking after her while her parents cannot, like Snowfur did for Mosskit.

Tawnypelt was led to StarClan by Goldenflower.

And Rowanstar was led to StarClan by Tawnypelt.


	14. Chapter Twelve

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Twelve

An explosion of movement interrupted the quiet of the early morning. Blazepaw burst from the bushes, landing square on the raven's back before the bird even saw him coming. It didn't even have a chance to cry out before Blazepaw dispatched it with a neat nip to the neck. The huge bird fell still under his paws.

Blazepaw felt a thrill of delight. The raven he'd killed was absolutely _huge._ It was nearly as big as he was. The Clan would be overjoyed at the catch.

Hunting had been very hard in the last quarter moon since the Gathering. Every cat was going hungry. The fresh kill pile looked pitiful most days. Even the queens were starting to look ragged and thin, their ribs sharp through their pelts. Blazepaw's raven would seem like a gift from StarClan.

He scooped up the sleek bird in his jaws, struggling to drag it along as he started off further into the woods. A nearby oak with twisted roots served as the perfect place to bury his raven. He kicked as much dirt and leaves as he could manage over the creature. The last thing he needed was for some other predator to take the raven while he was gone.

With less than a moon left in his training, Blazepaw had been sent out on one of his final assessments. He was to bring back as much prey to the Clan as possible. His mentor was probably out there somewhere, watching him and noting his progress. He hoped Bumblestripe had seen that catch. That was one of his best catches yet.

Blazepaw left his raven behind, setting off to find more prey. As he padded through the woods, golden sunlight lit up his pale ginger pelt. He had grown much from the small apprentice he had been. Where he had once stumbled about on stubby legs, now he was tall and sleek, with a lithe, lean build, a hunter's build. He had a compact head with small, neat ears, and an elegant tail. He had all the strenght and skill of a full warrior, and the lean muscle to show for it. Blazepaw stalked through the forest, reveling in the brief warmth of the sunlight, and the joy of his last catch. If things went well, he would be a warrior soon, and he couldn't wait.

His search for prey led him close to ShadowClan's border. Blazepaw nosed around the bushes, hoping to find at least another mouse to bring back. Suddenly, something nearby rustled, causing the apprentice to freeze. He dropped down against the ground, staying low as he poked his muzzle through a nearby bush.

What he saw made his claws slide out and dig hard into the ground. Ahead of him, lithe forms were stalking through the forest, _his_forest. He recognized them as Smokefoot, Shrewfoot, and Snowbird of ShadowClan. All three cats carried prey in their jaws, and they were strutting through his territory like they owned him.

Blazepaw's immediate instinct was to lunge from his hiding spot and make them pay for their theft. But reason held him back. As strong as he'd become in the past moons, he was only one cat, and these were three seasoned warriors. He had no hope of beating them in a fight. All he could do was watch from afar, then return to camp and report what he had found.

He resisted the urge to rake his claws over their ears as he watched the ShadowClan warriors joke and laugh loudly as they carried their prey. Finally, they retreated back to their own territory. Blazepaw glared after them until they were gone, then turned and headed briskly through the woods.

His first task was to find his mentor. The assessment could wait – reporting ShadowClan's thievery was more important. It didn't take long to track down Bumblestripe's scent. He found him behind a patch of thorns, close to where he'd caught the raven.

Bumblestripe seemed surprised to see him. "Blazepaw?" the gray tabby asked, rising to his paws. Blazepaw had reached his mentor in height, so the two toms were even as they faced each other. "What are you doing? You know you can't talk to me during your assessment."

Blazepaw shook his head. "This is important. How long have you been watching me?"

The tom looked baffled, but answered warily, "I saw you catch the raven, and I was going to follow you again soon. Why?"

"I saw ShadowClan cats hunting in our territory," Blazepaw told him grimly. Bumblestripe stiffened, anger flashing in his yellow eyes. "It looked like they took a lot of prey. We have to tell Bramblestar." He unsheathed his claws, growling, "I wanted to fight them, but there were too many."

Bumblestripe nodded slowly. "You did the right thing, Blazepaw. No point in getting shredded when we can have a patrol ready to go soon. And you're right, we can finish this another day. Let's go tell Bramblestar what you saw." He touched his nose to Blazepaw's ear, adding, "You did a fantastic job with your hunt, though. I'll be sure to tell Bramblestar of your excellent progress, and I'm sure everyone will appreciate that raven. I'm very proud of you."

Blazepaw purred, bursting with pride. "Thank you, Bumblestripe." He shook out his pelt, remembering the task at hand. "Come on. We'll pick up my prey, then head back to camp."

The two toms made their way back towards the camp, prey in their jaws. Blazepaw was stumbling a bit over his raven, but he was too proud to ask for Bumblestripe's help. He held his head high as they passed through the thorn entrance into the camp.

Poppyfrost approached the toms, eyes widening as she noticed the raven. "Did you catch that?" she asked Blazepaw. He nodded, head dipping under the weight of the bird. The she-cat purred, "That's great! Put in on the pile, then get yourself something to eat. You earned it."

"Actually, Poppyfrost, we need to speak to Bramblestar," Bumblestripe told the tortoiseshell warrior, dropping the prey he'd been carrying at his paws. He scooped it up again, then padded towards the pile, Blazepaw at his heels. They left their prey on the pile, then started off for the High Ledge.

Blazepaw waited for his mentor to scale the rock face, then launched himself up after him, pulling himself up the stones until he had reached the High Ledge. Inside the shadow of the cave, Bramblestar was curled in his nest. He lifted his head as Bumblestripe and Blazepaw padded inside. "Can I help you with something?" the leader asked, tilting his head in question.

"My apprentice saw something during his assessment," Bumblestripe told the leader. He nodded to Blazepaw. Briefly, Blazepaw recounted what he'd seen at the border.

Bramblestar's expression grew more and more grim as Blazepaw spoke, his amber eyes smoldering with a dark anger. When the apprentice had finished speaking, the leader growled, "Thank you for telling me, Blazepaw." His gaze slid to Bumblestripe. He ordered, "Go collect the senior warriors, and the Three, and bring them here. We must organize a patrol." Bumblestripe dipped his head, then turned and trotted out of the den.

Blazepaw hesitated, glancing after his mentor. He wasn't sure whether Bramblestar wanted him to follow his mentor, or to return to the apprentice's den. The apprentice made a move towards the entrance, but Bramblestar called him back with a short mew. "You can stay, Blazepaw," he told the young tabby. "You've earned your right to speak with us about this."

The apprentice felt a burst of pride. He was to be allowed at a meeting meant only for Bramblestar and his senior warriors? Blazepaw tried not to preen too much at the leader's praise, sitting before him with his tail curled neatly around his paws.

It didn't take long for Bumblestripe to return. Behind him were Leafpool, Birchfall, Mousewhisker, Berrynose, Hazeltail, the Three, and Ivypool. Lionblaze looked surprised to see his son there, but didn't comment on it. Instead, he asked, "What's going on, Bramblestar? Why did you need to speak to us?"

In a low growl, Bramblestar told them what Blazepaw had seen. Blazepaw saw the warriors' expressions grow darker and darker, low growls and snarls rumbling from them. Birchfall and Mousewhisker shared a dark glance, and Lionblaze's claws slid out and scratched against the stone floor of the den.

When Bramblestar had finished speaking, Hazeltail asked evenly, "What do you want to do about it? Should be attack?"

"Tigerstar's more than asked for it," Berrynose growled.

Bramblestar nodded slowly. "He has. Tigerstar has shown a blatant disrespect for the warrior code, a complete lack of control over his own warriors, and an utter refusal to admit to his own faults and try to fix what he has broken." His amber gaze hardened as he added, "But I promised I would give him one chance, and that's what I'm going to do."

"You're going to talk to him," Jayfeather mewed, his blind gaze intense. Blazepaw glanced away. He was used to Silentpaw's blindness, but Jayfeather always had an odd look to his eyes that Silentpaw never had, knowing and seeing and blind all at once. Blazepaw had known Jayfeather all his life, but he still found that blind blue gaze unsettling when it got particularly intense.

The leader flicked an ear in acknowledgment. "Yes. I'll tell him what Blazepaw saw, that we will defend our borders to the death, and if his cats continue to hunt on our territory, that he will have battle patrols on his territory to worry about."

Lionblaze tipped his head curiously. "Do you want me to go?"

"No," Bramblestar mewed firmly. "I'm going to offer Tigerstar a warning, not scare the fur off him. Bringing my unbeatable warrior into his camp would be an immediate declaration of war." Blazepaw's father looked disgruntled, but gave Bramblestar a stiff nod of assent.

Bramblestar looked over his warriors thoughtfully. "I think I'll bring you, Hazeltail, and I'll bring Ivypool, Blazepaw, and Bumblestripe." He turned to Mousewhisker, Birchfall, and Berrynose, explaining, "I need you to look after the Clan while I'm gone. Now that we know Tigerstar is letting his warriors steal our prey, we don't know what else he'll stoop to. Help Squirrelflight keep an eye on the camp." His warriors nodded, sitting up straight, eyes gleaming. Blazepaw could see they were collecting themselves for the task ahead. "Ivypool, you know Tigerstar from training together. I want you to watch his reactions and let me know what you think." The silver-and-white warrior gave a solemn dip of her head.

Blazepaw fought hard to keep from fluffing his pelt out with pride. He was to come with his leader to challenge ShadowClan, on a mission that only the senior warriors knew about? He truly was on his way to being a full warrior.

Dovewing lifted her head, asking timidly, "Do you want me to come too?" Bramblestar looked at her in surprise, as did Blazepaw. "I knew Tigerstar well. From, you know, the trip with the beavers. Maybe I can talk to him?" Blazepaw was surprised at the queen's expression. She didn't seem pleased at the prospect of speaking to Tigerstar, but there was an odd gleam to her golden eyes, something almost wistful.

"No, Dovewing," Bramblestar told her, not unkindly. "I need you to stay here." Dovewing almost looked relieved at her leader's order. "Keep an eye on our meeting with Tigerstar from here, and keep Squirrelflight updated. If things go wrong, you can let her know right away so she can send backup."

"Things won't go wrong," Dovewing assured Bramblestar. "Tigerstar is a lot of things, but he is a cat of honor. He won't attack a patrol who came to talk."

The dark tabby seemed to doubt Dovewing's assessment, but he simply flicked his tail in reply. "I want to keep this between us, just until I return from ShadowClan," he told his warriors. "No need to rile up the Clan just yet. They'll want Tigerstar's blood, but they'll feel better once I've spoken to him."

One by one, the senior warriors dipped their heads, Blazepaw following suit. Cats began to stand, ready to attend to their duties. Before any cat could leave the den, however, Ivypool spoke. Calmly, she mewed, "Bramblestar, I would like to request that my apprentice come with us as well."

Blazepaw stiffened in surprise. _Silentpaw?_ In what way was sending his sister to another Clan to warn them to back off their borders a good idea? Bramblestar seemed surprised as well. He asked Ivypool, "You're sure?"

Ivypool bristled a bit. "You doubt her loyalty?" she asked with an edge to her growl.

"It's not that," Bramblestar replied calmly. "But Silentpaw has not been shy about being friendly with other Clans in the past. She may speak out and make the Clan look weak if she thinks I'm not being fair to ShadowClan."

"Maybe that's what you need to hear, then," Ivypool pointed out. "Since when are you afraid of your cats telling you what they think?" Bramblestar looked away, making Ivypool's tail kink in amusement. "Don't worry. Silentpaw may make friends easily, but she's not a fool who would condone prey theft." Her voice lowered as she added, "Silentpaw does not have the Clan's full trust. She needs to earn that trust back, and I think a mission like this would help her do just that. It would assure her Clanmates that she's not afraid to challenge other Clans, and ignore her friendships there, when necessary."

Bramblestar was nodding thoughtfully. "You could be right. Very well." He turned to Blazepaw, ordering, "Go tell your sister that she's to accompany us to ShadowClan territory. Get something to eat, then meet us by the entrance. We have a long journey ahead of us."

Blazepaw tried to hide his displeasure. He gave a stiff nod, mewing, "Yes Bramblestar," before turning and heading out of the den. The apprentice scrambled down off the High Ledge, landing neatly on the ground below.

Now that it was late morning, almost everyone was awake and getting ready to work. Warriors were moving briskly about camp, getting ready for patrols or training. Through the cats walking about, Blazepaw managed to catch a glimpse of his sister. "Silentpaw!" he called out. Silentpaw's head shot up, ears flicking towards her brother. The she-cat padded to Blazepaw, head tilted curiously.

The black she-cat had a short, shiny pelt, hard muscle clear to see under her fur. She was a hair taller than Blazepaw now, but where he was lithe and made for speed and stealth, she was thickly built and made of muscle. She didn't have the massive height or build of their father or Bramblestar, but she was pretty close. Any cat's first thought when they faced her in battle now certainly wasn't going to be her blindness.

"What's up?" she asked, her broad head still tilted, her small, neat ears perked with interest, and hope.

Blazepaw tried not to show his discomfort. He looked away slightly as he told her, "Bramblestar wants to see you. We're visiting ShadowClan."

Her gray eyes lit up. "ShadowClan? Why, what'd they do?"

"I saw them hunting on our territory," he told her in a low voice, keeping an eye out to make sure other Clanmates weren't listening. Silentpaw stiffened, ears flattening against her head. "Bramblestar's taking a patrol to talk to Tigerstar."

"And he wants me to come?" she asked, tail flicking in surprise.

Blazepaw's ears flicked back. "Ivypool thought you should come, and Bramblestar agreed," he mewed stiffly. "Now come on. We're all going to meet by the entrance." He left his sister behind as quickly as he could manage, tail bristling.

Ever since the Gathering, Silentpaw kept trying to corner him, wanting to speak to him about something. It took some effort to keep dodging her. Every time she tried to talk to him, he'd find a patrol to join, or a den to clean, anything to keep from having to face her.

Deep down, he knew she was just trying to make things right. But he simply wasn't ready to forgive her. It had taken her far too long to realize how bad things were between them, and she acted too much like he should just forgive her like that. It was more complicated than that. She had _left_, he wasn't just going to forgive her like that.

He grabbed a mouse from the fresh-kill pile, wolfed it down, and headed to the entrance. Bramblestar and Bumblestripe were already there, and Hazeltail, Ivypool, and Silentpaw soon joined them. Bramblestar's amber gaze swept quickly over the cats he had chosen. "Alright," he finally rumbled, "Let's go speak with Tigerstar."

* * *

Sorry this took a while. I spent a lot of time uploading this story to an Archive of our Own and Quotev, along with a couple other fanfics on Quotev (my Molly Hooper stories). In addition, I got my wisdom teeth out this morning, and I've basically been napping all day. So that's been fun. :P

Anyway, here's the newest chapter. ShadowClan's been hunting on their territory after all, and now Bramblestar's off to talk with Tigerstar. And Blazepaw and Silentpaw have three quarters of a moon left in their training. They're all grown up. :D


	15. Chapter Thirteen

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Thirteen

Blazepaw followed the patrol, keeping his ears perked, staying alert for danger. They were about to enter ShadowClan territory. Any moment, ShadowClan warriors could come out of the shadows to attack.

The small patrol finally crossed over the border, passing over from the oak woods into pine trees and marshes. Everything felt wet underpaw, and the wet clung to the apprentice's paws as he followed his Clanmates. It took most of Blazepaw's concentration not to gag at the reek of pine sap and ShadowClan. _How can any cat live here?_ he wondered irritably.

Bramblestar and Ivypool alone of their Clanmates seemed unbothered by the strange territory. The huge leader padded confidently through the pine trees, tail and head held high, while Ivypool slunk along with a determined expression. Silentpaw stuck by her mentor's side. Blazepaw could see her ears perked and nose twitching as she tried to take in the new environment. The blind she-cat held her head high, gray eyes bright with curiosity. Blazepaw tried not to feel too suspicious of how immediately comfortable Silentpaw seemed in a new territory.

Silentpaw was the first to sense them coming. The blind she-cat stiffened, ears flicking. "Patrol approaching," she warned. Blazepaw lowered into a crouch, the rest of the patrol responding in kind. They crowded together, alert, but not aggressive.

Five cats burst from the bushes, quickly surrounding the small patrol. These cats were angry, and snarling, all puffed up and ready to defend their home. Blazepaw instinctively stiffened at such a brazen display of aggression. He got ready to pounce, but Bumblestripe nudged his shoulder beside him, hissing, "Not yet. Let Bramblestar handle this."

Reluctantly, Blazepaw lowered his hackles and sheathed his claws. As he relaxed, he began to recognize some of the cats surrounding them. The smallest one was Smokepaw, the deputy's apprentice, her dark cream pelt fluffed up to make herself look twice as big. Then there was Stoneclaw and Marshpaw, fangs bared and eyes blazing with fury. Olivenose was there too, watching the ThunderClan cats with a careful glare. At first appearance, she was the best-fed of her Clanmates, but a closer inspection showed that her belly was swollen with kits, not from being well-fed.

Blazepaw's eyes widened as he realized how scrawny all of the ShadowClan cats were. ThunderClan cats were looking a bit thinner than they should now that leafbare had arrived, but the warriors he saw now looked ridiculously thin. Their pelts hung close to their scrawny frames, every bone visible through their fur. Blazepaw shared a brief, concerned glance with his mentor. ShadowClan must be doing worse in the cold season than ThunderClan had thought.

He was distracted from these thoughts as a surprised mew made him face their fifth attacker. She was far thinner than when he'd last seen her, but her tangled, gray-and-white pelt and ice-blue eyes were the same. "Dewfrost!" Blazepaw exclaimed.

Dewfrost looked surprised to see the ThunderClan cats there, her aggression fading. "Blazepaw? Bramblestar? What are you doing here?" She wavered, her hackles lowering.

"We've come to speak to Tigerstar." Bramblestar's voice was calm and clear, and he was facing the ShadowClan cats with an even expression. "There's something I must discuss with him."

Dewfrost began to relax, but the other cats didn't seen reassured. "You're lying," Stoneclaw spat, puffed up with fury. "Get out of our territory!"

"Stoneclaw, don't be mousebrained," Dewfrost hissed impatiently. "If they were going to attack us, they would have ambushed us, not let us surround them." She lifted her head, her ice-blue eyes calm as she looked out over the ThunderClan cats. "I think we can trust them." Blazepaw felt a rush of relief. He gave Dewfrost a friendly glance, which she returned with an acknowledging blink.

"You just say that because you're soft on ThunderClan, Dewfrost," Stoneclaw growled. Marshpaw was still bristling beside him, and even little Smokepaw was growling at the intruders. Dewfrost glared at her Clanmate, but didn't respond.

Only Olivenose was facing the ThunderClan cats calmly. Her hackles slowly began to lower as she asked briskly, "Is it just you?"

"Yes," Bramblestar promised.

Olivenose approached the ThunderClan cats, her legs still stiff and muscles tensed. She circled the ThunderClan cats, sniffing them carefully. Her Clanmates watched warily as she inspected their visitors. Finally, she took a step back, satisfied. "Very well. I'll bring you to Tigerstar. But I'll be watching all of you." Olivenose turned to her apprentice, mewing briskly, "Go collect the prey and bring it back to camp. We'll meet you there." She gave Smokepaw a swift lick over the ear, then the apprentice bounded off. Blazepaw glared after the apprentice, wondering whether it was ShadowClan prey she was going to get, or ThunderClan prey.

Bramblestar dipped his head to the deputy. "Thank you," he mewed respectfully. He signaled to his warriors to stand down. One by one, they relaxed, loosening their stiff posture and putting away their claws. Olivenose waited for them to obey, then gave a stiff nod, starting off towards camp. Her own warriors, and the ThunderClan cats, all followed.

The ShadowClan deputy led them briskly through the marshes, cutting quickly through their territory to reach their camp. They finally reached a dip beneath the trees. Olivenose led them through a thorn tunnel, into a clearing sheltered by brambles and pine trees. There were cats everywhere, milling around, eating scraps, or sharing tongues. They all looked up as the ThunderClan cats were led into camp. Blazepaw could hear cats whispering, and could see them glaring at him and his Clanmates. But more distracting than that was how ill-fed all of these cats looked. They were as bone-thin as Olivenose and her patrol, elders, queens, and even the few kits roaming about. These weren't invaders. These were desperate, starving cats.

Olivenose bounded off to a den sheltered beneath brambles and the roots of a large tree. After a few moments, she and Tigerstar stepped out. Blazepaw held back a gasp at the sight of the dark tabby. At the last Gathering, Blazepaw hadn't gotten a good look at him from the top of the Great Tree, but now he could see how close his striped pelt clung to his bones. The leader looked completely horrible. There was a dull gleam to his amber eyes as he approached the ThunderClan cats, but his gaze still managed to hold pride as he growled, "What brings the ThunderClan leader to my camp?"

Bramblestar stepped forward. As Bramblestar and Tigerstar faced each other, Blazepaw was struck again by how similar they looked, like reflections of the same cat. The only major difference was that Bramblestar was the better-fed tom. "I have come to speak to you about prey theft," Bramblestar told the ShadowClan leader.

Instantly, the cats around them tensed, some looking angry, some merely looking warily between their own leader and Bramblestar. Blazepaw was even more confused. This wasn't the usual indignant reaction of a Clan accused of prey theft. This was the wary response of a Clan waiting to see whether their leader was going to say something mousebrained and get them all in trouble.

Tigerstar looked confused, swinging his broad head slowly from side to side. "We haven't stolen any prey," he rasped. He didn't have the righteous anger he'd displayed at his first Gathering. Instead, he seemed almost dazed. The huge tabby managed to regain some of his fire as he added, "If this is more talk of faint scents and squirrel blood, I won't stand to hear it. You have no real proof of anything."

"No," Bramblestar told him. "This is something else. My warriors witnessed ShadowClan warriors crossing our borders and stealing prey."

The ShadowClan leader recoiled as though he'd been struck. He gaped at Bramblestar. "What? You... you _saw_ my warriors stealing prey?" Suddenly, the leader looked almost vulnerable, completely unsure of himself. Bramblestar didn't seem to know how to respond. His gaze flitted back to his Clanmates, questioning, and his tail-tip flicked uncertainly.

Blazepaw looked away from the leaders, his gaze sweeping over the other ShadowClan cats. He spotted Shrewfoot slipping out of a bramble den, a few familiar faces following her. He stiffened. "There," he mewed aloud, flicking an ear towards the three cats. "Those are the cats I saw stealing prey."

Tigerstar and Bramblestar both turned to look at the warriors Blazepaw had indicated. Bramblestar's gaze darkened with anger, and Tigerstar's eyes widened. Then, to Blazepaw's surprise, anger blazed in his eyes, his expression hardening. "Shrewfoot! Smokefoot! Snowbird!" he barked, voice sharp with anger. "Get over here. All three of you."

The three cats looked up in surprise. They all shared a glance, then approached Tigerstar. Now that he could see them closer, Blazepaw was surprised to see how much better-fed they looked than their Clanmates. And a closer inspection of the camp showed that they weren't the only ones. Pinenose's black pelt was sleek against her strong frame, and Crowfrost looked far less frail than his denmates. Blazepaw felt a surge of horror. Were these cats not only stealing prey, but keeping it for _themselves_, rather than using it to feed their Clanmates? What kind of warriors were they?

"Yes, Tigerstar?" Shrewfoot asked lightly, she and the other warriors halting in front of their leader. Her tone was polite, but there was a defiant light to her yellow eyes as she met Tigerstar's gaze.

Tigerstar bared his fangs, a growl rumbling in his throat. He glared at his warriors, demanding, "Is this true? You stole prey from ThunderClan's territory?"

Shrewfoot didn't so much as twitch a whisker at Tigerstar's anger. She kept her easy expression, and a cool tone, as she told him, "I don't know what you're talking about." Even as she spoke in a polite tone, there was the faintest gleam of defiance in her eyes, something almost smug, as if she was mocking her leader.

"ThunderClan cats saw you," Tigerstar spat, voicing rising in anger. Every cat in camp was staring at him now. A hush had fallen over the camp – they were all waiting to see what their leader would do next. "Are you going to stand here and lie to me? You will show your leader respect!"

The huge tabby was furious, back arched and hackles bristling, seeming even larger in his anger, but Shrewfoot didn't even blink. Calmly, she suggested, "Perhaps this isn't a conversation to having in front of our guests." She gave the ThunderClan cats a significant glance.

Beside Tigerstar, Olivenose spoke up. "She might be right." It was clear from her curled lip that she didn't like agreeing with Shrewfoot, but she didn't say anything on that matter. "This is a discussion for another time." Blazepaw was surprised to see Tigerstar's mate and deputy siding with Shrewfoot, but they both had a point. Tigerstar was drawing a lot of attention, as loud as he was being, and berating his own warriors in front of enemy warriors was making his Clan looks weak and divided. He could see his own Clanmates exchanging shocked glances at the blatant display.

"I'll discuss this how and when I like," Tigerstar growled, sparing Olivenose an irritated glance. His amber glare returned to Shrewfoot. He snarled, "There will be no more hunting in ThunderClan territory, or any other territory. And all three of you will be tending to the elders for the next half moon." He pinned his ears back. "I'm appalled at your behavior. Just because your father used to be leader doesn't mean you get to do whatever you like."

"And just because you're leader now doesn't mean you get to do whatever you like," Shrewfoot replied evenly.

Tigerstar stiffened in shock. Many of the cats watching drew in sharp breaths, muttering to each other. Blazepaw looked anxiously between the gray she-cat and her massive tabby leader, waiting to see how Tigerstar would react.

Once the tom got over his shock, he was _furious._ Every hair from nose to tail-tip stood out on end, his tail bushed out a good two or three times its size, and his pupils were slits, amber eyes blazing. "How dare you?" he spat, voice shaking with pure fury. "I am your_leader!_ You will show me the proper respect."

Shrewfoot's smug demeanor was gone. There was a cold glint to her eyes now, and her lip began to curl into a snarl as she retorted, "I will when you've earned it. You're no leader, _Tigerheart._ All you've done since your father died is make a fool of yourself in front of the other Clans and refuse to extend our hunting grounds. Our Clanmates are starving, and you've done nothing about it. Instead you sit around camp and whine about those halfClan runts when you should be worrying about the Clanmates you already have." She lifted her head, sneering, "For all his crimes, at least Tigerstar put his Clan first, and made them strong. He hunted for them when they were hungry, and fought for them when they were threatened. A murderer and traitor was more fit to be leader than you."

Blazepaw took in a shocked breath, and he saw Silentpaw stiffen, gaping at the gray warrior. Even Bramblestar's amber eyes widened in shock, his dark pelt bristling as he listened to Shrewfoot compare his father to her leader. Tigerstar, meanwhile, had gone completely stock-still. His voice had gone even higher in his new rage. "Everything, I have done, _everything,_" he whispered, too angry to screech and yowl, "it has all been for ShadowClan."

Even in the face of Tigerstar's fury, Shrewfoot didn't back down. She just stood nose to nose with Tigerstar, a growl rumbling in her throat. Blazepaw fought the urge to take a step back – it looked like these cats were going to kill each other any moment. But before either cat could attack, Olivenose shoved roughly between them. "Both of you, that's enough!" She glared at both of them, green eyes flashing with fire. Tigerstar and Shrewfoot were both still bristling, but neither seemed willing to push past the expecting queen to attack the other. Reluctantly, they both lowered their hackles and backed down. Olivenose waited until both cats were calm before growling, "You've both made your point. Shrewfoot, Snowbird, Smokefoot, we'll speak about this later." With a stiff wave of her tail, she growled, "You're dismissed."

Shrewfoot flicked her tail in acknowledgment, then turned and started back towards her own den, leading Snowbird and Smokefoot behind her. Olivenose stared sternly after them, waiting until they were in their dens before turning back to the ThunderClan cats. Tigerstar said nothing, glowering in silence as his deputy addressed their guests. "We apologize for the conduct of our warriors," Olivenose told Bramblestar briskly. "They will be punished for their actions, and there will be no more theft of ThunderClan's prey. Our warriors will escort you back to your own territory." The dismissal was clear.

Bramblestar looked between Olivenose and Tigerstar warily, not seeming to know how to react to Tigerstar's utter lack of control of his Clan. Before he could mew a response, Bumblestripe spoke up. "What was Shrewfoot talking about?" he asked. "She said something about 'those halfClan runts.'"

"Tawnypelt's kits," Silentpaw realized aloud, gray eyes wide. "That's who she meant. You want them in ShadowClan." Bramblestar shot her a sideways glare, but he soon turned his gaze to Tigerstar instead, warily awaiting his reply.

Tigerstar's eyes narrowed, irritation clear in the twitch of his tail. "And why shouldn't I?" he asked, as though it were obvious. "They are the kits of ShadowClan warriors. My kin. Now that they're weaned, they should be returned to their true home."

"Their true home is where Rowanstar left them," Hazeltail growled. "He gave them to us."

Bramblestar was glaring at Tigerstar, hackles beginning to raise. "If you wanted them back, you should have told me so," he told the ShadowClan leader.

Tigerstar snorted. "Would you have listened?" he challenged. "I know you and Squirrelflight have been raising them. You've gotten attached, you'd rather keep them than hand them over to where they belong."

"They belong with ThunderClan," Bramblestar growled, ears flattening against his head. Blazepaw had seen his leader angry before, but this was a new type of anger, dark and protective. It reminded him of how Lionblaze had acted when Silentpaw had gone missing. A father's anger. "Rowanstar gave them to us in good faith. He trusted that we would raise them well, which we have every intention of doing. And we will fight to the death to keep them."

"You have no right to them." Tigerstar was starting to get angry again, fur beginning to bristle. "Those are ShadowClan kits."

Bramblestar's hackles were raised, ears pinned back and eyes narrowed, and Tigerstar's tail was lashing. It was starting to look like the real fight would be between the leaders. Blazepaw lowered into a crouch, standing protectively beside his Clanmates, several of the ShadowClan warriors responding in kind. Silentpaw was growling at a gray apprentice, and Blazepaw met the glare of a brown she-cat, hissing when she bared her fangs at him.

"Oh for StarClan's sake." Blazepaw looked up in surprise. This time, it wasn't Olivenose who had spoken up, but Ivypool. She was glaring at Tigerstar, dark blue gaze sparking with annoyance. "Tigerstar, stop acting like a kit who didn't get first pick of the fresh-kill pile." She approached him calmly, not seeming impressed with his bristled pelt and narrowed gaze. "You think you can fool all these cats, but I know you. You should know by now what comes of thinking you have a right to things that are out of your reach." There was a edge to her words, and something in her glare, a warning. Tigerstar looked away uncomfortably, making Blazepaw's ears perk in interest. What was Ivypool hinting at? "Tend to your own side of the border, and we'll tend to ours. That's how we all knew things would be after the Dark Battle. That's how we fought to make them. Remember that."

Tigerstar wouldn't meet Ivypool's gaze. He looked away, clearly uncomfortable. Finally, he looked up, a defiant bite to his word as he growled, "I'll do what I think is best for my Clan, as you've always done, Ivypool." The silver-and-white warrior flinched as though she'd been struck. "Go back to your forest. We're done here."

Bramblestar still looked angry, but he seemed to recognize that staying any longer would only result in a fight. He lifted his chin, growling, "We'll be patrolling our borders frequently. See that you don't cross them." With that, he allowed the ShadowClan warriors Olivenose had gathered to begin leading them out of camp.

* * *

I'm so sorry about how long this took to post. This time, it wasn't so much that I was busy as it was that I got severely blocked. I fumbled a bit with writing Tigerstar and Shrewfoot's fight, but I'm pretty satisfied with it now. Hopefully next chapter will come easier to me.

Anyway, a lot of hinting at past events in the actual books, hope they were easy enough to catch.

Also, I'm almost exactly halfway through this book. Wow. Hopefully I'll get it done soon, and I can move onto book three. I'd like to get this series done quickly. I have almost all of it planned out. Once I'm done with it, I think I'm putting most of my fanfic aside and focusing on some original stuff for a while. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be doing my Moffat rewrite. I just can't think of everything I want to write, and it would take way too much time. I think this Warriors fic will be the last big fanfic project of mine, at least for now.

Next chapter, we're back to Silentpaw.


	16. Chapter Fourteen

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Fourteen

Specklefoot and Stoneclaw led the ThunderClan patrol through the pine forest. The ShadowClan cats walked in grim silence, clearly still tense from the arguments in their camp.

Silentpaw's pelt was still bristling. How could Tigerstar be so _mousebrained?_ He'd rather puff himself up to try and look like a good leader than actually address the problems his Clan was facing.

Shrewfoot was even worse. She was stealing prey from two Clans and rallying her Clanmates to do the same, and had the nerve to call out Tigerstar for being a bad leader. Her disgust for halfClan warriors was clear, and what made it worse was, she thought she was justified. Somehow, this cat had convinced herself that Tigerstar's faults stemmed not from his own inadequacy, but from his ThunderClan blood. Her self-righteousness was terrifying. If she truly believed she was justified in taking prey from ThunderClan because of their mixed blood, where would she stop?

They had almost reached ThunderClan territory when Silentpaw became aware that one of their ShadowClan escorts, Specklefoot, was sniffing in her direction. Silentpaw glanced away, pelt fluffing up, but that didn't deter the warrior. After a few moments, Specklefoot stiffened, a faint growl rumbling from her direction.

Specklefoot lifted her head, addressing the ThunderClan leader. "Bramblestar, may I borrow your apprentice?"

Bramblestar paused, turning back to look at Specklefoot. Silentpaw heard him hesitate, his tail sweeping against the marshy ground as he deliberated. "Why?" he asked warily.

"If it's important, she can tell you," Specklefoot told him stiffly. When Bramblestar continued to hesitate, she softened her tone to a gruff mew, adding, "Leave someone behind with her if you like. But I have to speak with her."

Several moments later, Bramblestar finally gave a stiff nod. "Blazepaw, stay with your sister. We'll wait for you by the border. If you're not back soon, we'll come back for you." The last part was said in a hard tone of warning. There were soft footfalls as the rest of the patrol departed, growing softer as they drew out of earshot. Finally, it was just Specklefoot, Blazepaw, and Silentpaw.

Silentpaw faced the ShadowClan warrior warily. "What do you want?" she asked.

Specklefoot flattened her ears, lowering her head and growling. She hissed, "I know you. I've seen you before."

The apprentice tipped her head curiously, before freezing in shock. Specklefoot had been with Wetwhisker and Snowbird when Silentpaw had been patrolling the border – RiverClan's border. And unlike the Gathering, it seemed that this time, she had been recognized.

Hastily, she turned her head away, mewing, "I mean, I think we met at a Gathering..."

"No." Her tone was stone-hard. "I saw you with a patrol, on RiverClan territory. I thought you were a RiverClan apprentice." Beside her, Blazepaw stiffened, turning his head towards his sister. "What are you doing with ThunderClan?"

Blazepaw bristled, claws sliding out. He hissed into Silentpaw's ear, "You were on a border patrol? Are you mousebrained?" Silentpaw shook her head, trying to ignore her brother and focus on Specklefoot.

She knew there was no point in trying to fool Specklefoot. She sighed, lifting her head to face the warrior. "I'm an apprentice of ThunderClan," she answered truthfully. "I'm no RiverClan cat."

"Then why did I see you with them?" Specklefoot asked in a growl.

Silentpaw hesitated. Even though the flood was over, and RiverClan had long since recovered, she didn't want to reveal that they had accepted the help of a ThunderClan apprentice. The last thing she wanted to do was make RiverClan look weak. Tigerstar was being aggressive enough as it was – if he thought RiverClan was an easy target, he might decide to attack.

"I was delivering a message, and the patrol that found me was on their way to patrol your border," she lied. "It was no big deal. I just didn't want to cause a scene by saying who I really was."

There was a shuffle of dirt and claw as Specklefoot dug her claws into the ground. The ShadowClan warrior snarled, "Do you think I'm a fool? What kind of patrol would take an enemy apprentice so far into their own territory?" She began to move towards Silentpaw on legs stiff with anger. Blazepaw moved instinctively in front of his sister, but Specklefoot didn't attack. She began to circle the apprentice instead. "What message were you delivering?"

Silentpaw clenched her jaw, growling through gritted teeth, "I don't recall exactly. An inquiry about herbs, I believe."

"Mousedung," Specklefoot snorted. "Why would Bramblestar send you all the way around the lake for herbs, instead of going to us or WindClan first?"

"Dovewing saw that Willowshine had the herbs we needed," Blazepaw grunted. He still seemed angry about the whole situation, but he was willing to go along with Silentpaw's ruse.

The warrior argued, "Then why send one lone apprentice?" She lifted her chin, growling, "You know what I think? I think that RiverClan and ThunderClan have an alliance, and they're conspiring against ShadowClan."

Blazepaw stiffened in shock. "You what? How dare you accuse us! ShadowClan are the thieves here. I _saw_ your Clanmates on our territory." Specklefoot jerked her head, glancing away. She seemed less angry now, more awkward. Blazepaw had clearly struck a nerve. Silentpaw listened to her shifting mood in interest.

Finally, Specklefoot grunted, "Whatever my Clanmates may or may not have done isn't the point. I may not approve of the action of... certain cats, but if there's an attack being planned, I have to protect my Clanmates. All of them." She stopped circling, approaching Silentpaw with stiff legs. She was about the same size as the muscular apprentice, but she still managed to loom before her, her voice dark as she growled, "So now, tell me the truth, or I'll make you regret it. Is there an attack being planned against my Clan?"

Silentpaw knew there was no good way out of this one. She hesitated before Specklefoot, deliberating. If she continued to lie, Specklefoot would suspect an alliance between ThunderClan and RiverClan, and she would warn Tigerstar to strike first. If she told her the truth, she might tell Tigerstar that RiverClan was weak. But she had to try.

The apprentice relaxed her fluffed-up pelt, lowering her head. "I wasn't being truthful. I'm sorry. But if what I say next convinces you that ThunderClan and RiverClan are planning nothing to harm your Clan, will you promise not to tell Tigerstar what I've told you?"

"Why should I?" Specklefoot challenged.

Silentpaw pleaded, "You've seen Tigerstar lately. He keeps threatening war on RiverClan, and he practically challenged Bramblestar to try and keep Rowanstar's kits from him. He may be your leader, but I don't trust him not to attack my Clan, or RiverClan, on a rushed whim. Please, just consider it."

Specklefoot was silent for several moments, before finally grunting, "Fine. Tell me what you have to say, then I'll consider it."

_Well, it's better than a no._ Silentpaw took a deep breath, then began to explain. "I wasn't passing on a message." Specklefoot didn't react to the admitted lie, staying silent. "During the flood, Dovewing saw that RiverClan was driven from their camp. They lost one of their kits. Bramblestar wanted to focus on ThunderClan instead of going to help RiverClan." She flicked her ear as she admitted, "I didn't agree with him, so I ran away to help RiverClan on my own. I disobeyed my leader's wishes, and I did it alone. I ran away when it was storming, crossing WindClan territory to get there. Mistystar accepted my offer to help. I stayed with RiverClan for a moon, helping them hunt, giving them tips on how to take down land prey, since they couldn't use the lake. The day you saw me, I was with Mistystar's patrol. I helped RiverClan rebuild, and when they were able to return to their camp, I went home."

She couldn't hear Specklefoot anymore, just silence that she couldn't read. The apprentice began to feel unease - what if she told Tigerstar anyway? Desperate, she implored Specklefoot, "There's no alliance, so conspiracy, no attack. Just one stupid, stubborn apprentice who thought she knew better than her leader. Please, believe me."

The silence dragged on. Silentpaw tried not to feel too anxious at the lack of reply. She shuffled her paws about, too uneasy to keep still. Finally, Specklefoot sniffed, "That certainly sounds like something a ThunderClan cat would do." She still didn't sound very pleased, but her mew was far less aggressive now. "I guess I'd buy that more then sending an apprentice alone in a storm."

Silentpaw nearly swayed with relief. "Thank you," she purred.

"What about Tigerstar?" Blazepaw asked warily. "Will you tell him?"

Specklefoot seemed to hesitate. "He's my leader," she said. "I can't lie to him."

"You wouldn't be lying," Silentpaw told her. "There's no reason Tigerstar needs to know this." She lifted her head, pointing out, "You waited to confront me until we left camp. That means you didn't want Tigerstar to know about this until you were sure he needed to. That he doesn't always react the best way to news like this." Specklefoot flicked an ear, but didn't respond otherwise. "You've seen how he's been treating RiverClan at the Gathering. If he hears about this, Tigerstar might think RiverClan is weak enough to attack." There had been enough attacks on RiverClan recently as it was. She didn't need the next one to be on her head.

There was a pause. "What I saw happened three moons ago," Specklefoot finally said. "I suppose there's no point in bothering him with it now." Silentpaw let out the breath she'd been holding, her pelt smoothing over. Beside her, Blazepaw's tense posture relaxed, if only a little. "But if I see _any_ hint that ThunderClan and RiverClan really do have an alliance," the warrior added in a warning growl, "I'll lead the attack on your Clan myself."

Silentpaw nodded. "Fair enough." She tipped her head. "Are we done here?"

"Yes," Specklefoot grunted. "Go back to ThunderClan." She waved her tail in dismissal. "And keep to your own territory. I think we've all had enough of cats poking their noses over their own borders, where they don't belong." Silentpaw's ear flicked in surprise – Specklefoot couldn't have made it more clear the regard she had for her prey-stealing Clanmates.

Silentpaw hid her surprise and dipped her head respectfully. "Thank you." She was more grateful than she could say to this she-cat for her silence. It was nice to see a decent ShadowClan warrior when most of them seemed to be acting like mousebrains.

She and her brother left Specklefoot behind, padding side by side as they headed back to their own territory. Blazepaw walked beside her in stony silence. He was still stiff and tense from the close call with Specklefoot. Now was a perfect opportunity to talk to her brother without interruption, but now that she was alone with him, Silentpaw had no idea where to even begin.

"Well, thank StarClan Specklefoot was sensible about all that," she finally mewed. All she wanted was to have a calm, rational discussion with her brother about how he'd been acting lately, how she'd hurt him, and what she could do to make it up to him.

Blazepaw grunted, "Luck for you, you mean."

That halted Silentpaw in her tracks. She brought up her chin sharply, hissing, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing." Blazepaw whisked his tail, brushing against ferns as they neared the border. He was trying to control his tone, but she was practiced enough at reading her brother to hear the anger bristling in his words. "Just that if you hadn't been on a border patrol in another Clan's territory, we wouldn't have had this problem in the first place."

All intentions of staying calm and rational flew out of Silentpaw's head. Her ears flew flat back against her head as she snarled, "I stayed with RiverClan for a moon. It would've been a bit rude if I'd refused to go on patrols."

"_Hunting_ patrols," Blazepaw growled. "Wasn't that why you were there in the first place? You just _had_ to help them hunt enough to support themselves. But why in StarClan did you think patrolling their borders was a good idea? Did it ever occur to you that just maybe a cat from WindClan or ShadowClan might recognize you from a Gathering?" Before Silentpaw could answer, he shook his head, muttering, "Of course not. You didn't think at all, did you? You just jumped in and did what you wanted to without listening to any other cat. That's what you do."

For a moment, Silentpaw was too stunned to even be angry. She had known Blazepaw resented her for leaving, but she hadn't realized how much he had lost faith in her. He didn't trust her judgment at all now. Her littermate was treating her like a complete stranger, like an enemy. And she had no idea how to make what was broken right.

It took her a few moments to collect herself enough to answer. "When Specklefoot saw me, I was on a patrol with Mistystar," she pointed out stiffly. "I couldn't very well say no to a patrol that she'd ordered me on. And if she wanted the ThunderClan apprentice on her border patrol, I trust that she knew what she was doing. I trust her judgment."

"You don't have to follow all her orders. Mistystar's not your leader," Blazepaw pointed out.

_But she could have been,_ Silentpaw thought ruefully. Mistystar had offered her a place in RiverClan as a full apprentice of her Clan. Silentpaw never regretted her decision to return to ThunderClan for an instant, but there were times that she missed sharing tongues with Leafdrift and Heronstrike, and joking over prey with Eeltooth on the mossy rock, especially now that her Clanmates were being so stiff around her. However, she decided to hold her tongue on that point. Blazepaw was sensitive enough about the subject of her moon in RiverClan – learning that she had been accepted enough by RiverClan to have almost been one of them might push him over the edge entirely.

Instead, she growled, "I was staying with her Clan. I couldn't very well go against orders." She lashed her tail, demanding, "Do you think I was sitting on my tail that whole moon in RiverClan? I was _working._ Hunting, training, patrolling, hunting again, I was always up and doing something, from dawn to dusk. As long as I was there, I was earning my keep. If that meant patrolling ShadowClan's border, then that's what I did. It worked out alright. Specklefoot's not going to tell any cat. Just let it go and quit lashing your tail about it."

There was a pause, then Blazepaw shook his head, muttering. "Whatever." He sped up, trotting ahead of her. Silentpaw's anger faded, leaving her feeling drained. _Well, so much for a rational discussion,_ she thought wearily.

It didn't take them much longer to cross the border and reach their patrol. Bramblestar stood as they approached, paws shuffling against the dusty ground. "I was about to send cats to look for you," he rumbled. "What did that warrior want?"

Silentpaw considered telling him the truth, but Blazepaw beat her to it. "It was nothing, Bramblestar," the apprentice lied smoothly. "She wanted to know about ThunderClan's blind apprentice and how she ever planned to be a warrior, the usual nonsense." Silentpaw's whiskers twitched in surprise, but she didn't correct her brother.

Bramblestar didn't seem entirely convinced, but he didn't press the issue. "Come on. It's time we returned to camp."

The leader led them briskly through the woods. Tension sparked from the tom – he stalked through the woods in stony silence, not slowing or faltering as his patrol followed behind. His silence was hard to read, but Silentpaw could hear the anger in the hard thudding of his paws, and the bristling of his pelt.

When they reached camp, Bramblestar wasted no time. He quickly swarmed up to the High Ledge, yowling to his Clan, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the High Ledge for a Clan meeting!"

Cats began retreating from their dens, murmuring curiously to themselves. It didn't take long for a sizable crowd to gather around the High Ledge. Silentpaw sat between Lightpaw and Poppyfrost, trying not to feel like she'd been clawed in the face when Blazepaw stalked right past her to sit far across the hollow, beside Snowfall.

Once every cat was gathered, Bramblestar briefly detailed what Blazepaw had seen at the border, and what Tigerstar had said about it. "Despite his promises, I fear that his warriors will not stop their theft any time soon," Bramblestar reported grimly. "In addition, he hinted that he might try to reclaim Shadowkit and Sunnykit, with force if necessary."

The Clan was practically yowling in outrage at this point. The prey theft was bad enough, but despite all their protests when Rowanstar had first left the kits with them, almost all of ThunderClan had grown fairly attached to the kits. Silentpaw didn't enjoy playing with the kits as much as her brother, but even she had been charmed by sweet little Sunnykit, and she occasionally allowed Shadowkit to use her tail as a mouse to pounce on. She could hear them now, mewling and yelping with joy from the nursery. They were distracted by their game, completely unaware that their fate was being discussed just outside. Silentpaw felt a protective fury suddenly rush over her. Whoever wanted to take these kits from the Clan and parents who loved them was going to pay.

"What will we do?" Lilyfrost called.

Bramblestar told her, "We must prepare for an attack. We'll strengthen all the dens, reinforce the walls, and the camp entrance. As for the prey theft, we'll have patrols from dawn to dusk."

From the nursery entrance, Squirrelflight called out, "I think we should have night patrols as well. Only a few cats, but we need to keep a constant eye on the border."

The leader inclined his head in acknowledgment. He rumbled, "Very well. Squirrelflight, will you organize those?" There was a brief rustling as Squirrelflight nodded in assent.

"Bramblestar?" That was Foxleap, sounding hesitant. "What if a patrol finds ShadowClan cats stealing prey? Do we report it back to camp?"

There was a growl from the High Ledge. "No. I gave Tigerstar his chance. If any cat sees ShadowClan warriors hunting on our territory, they have my permission to attack without question. If they think that ThunderClan is too soft to defend our borders, they're going to find out just how wrong they are." The leader's tone was dark as he growled, "You're all dismissed.

Silentpaw felt a thrill of fear. War seemed to be drawing closer every day, and try as she might, she could think of no way to stop it.

* * *

Ugh, the ending feels so rushed, but I wanted to get it done. Sorry about that.

Well, seems that Silentpaw remembering meeting Wetwhisker on the border at the Gathering wasn't just a one-off thing. She once again meets a ShadowClan cat she met on the border that day, and this time she's recognized.

And now ThunderClan cats will attack ShadowClan cats on their territory without hesitation.

I'm too tired to think of anything else to say.

Next chapter has a time skip, and it's in Silentpaw's POV.


	17. Chapter Fifteen

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Fifteen

Silentpaw tumbled away from her opponent. She scrambled to her paws in an instant, spitting out sand. Her back arched and tail curled as she crouched, ready to go again. "How was that?" she panted

Her mentor stood across the clearing from her, still stumbling from their bout. "Much better," Ivypool grunted, shaking sand from her pelt, groaning as she stretched a sore muscle.

They had met at the sandy hollow early that morning to start another day of battle training. With less than a quarter moon left in her training, Silentpaw was dedicating every waking moment to perfecting her battle skills.

She had nearly doubled in size and muscle since the beginning of her apprenticeship, and her hearing and sense of smell had been honed to perfection. In hunting, she could scent a blackbird from the highest branches of an oak, with the stealth and silence to stalk it without alerting it. In battle, she had grown deadly. She could not see her opponent, but Ivypool had trained her to listen for her enemy's movements, for the beat of their heart, to strike hard and strong with a practiced paw. At hunting, she was skilled, but at fighting, she excelled.

Ivypool lowered into a crouch, tail bristling. "Come at me again."

Silentpaw took a moment to evaluate her mentor's stance, then lunged. At the last moment, she slipped to the side, ready to strike, but Ivypool was ready for her, whirling to face her. The apprentice dodged her mentor's paw as she struck out, lunging forward to grab Ivypool's hind leg in her jaws. Ivypool whirled around to snap at Silentpaw's haunch, but Silentpaw had already moved, yanking hard at Ivypool's leg, sending her to the ground.

Ivypool flipped onto her back, striking out hard at Silentpaw with her hind legs. The apprentice was momentarily unbalanced, but managed to regain her stance as Ivypool struggled back to her paws. Her mentor attacked, and the two cats tumbled for several moments, before Silentpaw managed to pin Ivypool with her greater weight.

Her mentor struggled for a few moments before going limp. "Very good," she praised. Silentpaw stepped off her mentor, allowing Ivypool to get to her paws. "You've become much faster and stronger, and you've done well in learning the techniques I've taught you."

Silentpaw dipped her head, mewing, "Thank you." Suddenly, the apprentice paused, nose twitching as new scents drifted towards her, scents of her Clanmates. "Huh. What are they doing here?" Silentpaw wondered aloud.

Ivypool lifted her muzzle to taste the air, ears perking in interest. "Ah, they're finally here." At Silentpaw's surprised ear flick, she explained, "I asked a few of your Clanmates to come and assist us with our training today." As the cats approached, Ivypool called out to them, "I see you brought what I asked for, thank you."

"Y'rr w'lc'me," Poppyfrost managed through jaws full of something. Silentpaw's ears strained to catch the sound of a large stick being dragged against the ground, and being dropped from Poppyfrost's jaws. "We're ready whenever you are." Judging by the scents, Jayfeather was there too, and Toadstep and Blossomfall, and they all carried sticks.

Silentpaw's mentor slowly approached Toadstep. "Thank you for coming," she mewed carefully, a touch of uncertainty in her mew.

The tom perked his ears, saying in a tone just a little too eager, "No problem at all! Glad to help." Silentpaw held back an amused purr. In the moons since Darkbreeze had suggested Toadstep's feelings for her mentor, Ivypool and Toadstep had been hunting together whenever either had a free minute. The way that Toadstep always lit up whenever he saw the she-cat, and how Ivypool's tone always seemed a little bit lighter when she talked to him, was unbelievably sweet. Annoying, especially when they kept tripping over their own paws around each other, but sweet.

Jayfeather approached Silentpaw, dropping his stick at his paws. "Ready to get to work?" he asked.

"Um, sure." Silentpaw tipped her head. "But what are we doing?" Ivypool didn't usually invite other Clanmates to their training sessions, and certainly not dragging sticks around.

It was Ivypool who answered. "You'll see." She left Toadstep, circling around to stand across the sand hollow from her apprentice. "Now, attack me."

Silentpaw hesitated, confused, but only for a moment. She crouched low, then dashed forward, lunging for her mentor.

As she attacked, suddenly the air was filled with sound, lots of it. Thumping and stomping and cats yowling. In the confusion of sound, Ivypool managed to dodge Silentpaw's attack, her pawsteps lost into the noise. Silentpaw halted, ears flicking about in confusion. On a closer listen, she realized that the cats Ivypool had invited were banging sticks against the nearby trees, against the ground, and were yowling as loud as they could manage. The apprentice shook her head to try and clear it. "Is this part of our training?" she called out to Ivypool over the cacophony of sound.

"Yes," her mentor called back. Silentpaw struggled to hear her as Poppyfrost's yowling rose in pitch. "Your fighting has improved, but in a real battle, it won't be just two cats fighting in silence. You will have to hear the movements of your opponent over the roar of battle. Cats will be screeching and yowling and fighting all around you, but you will have to remain utterly focused on the enemy in front of you. You must be able to hear and scent their position with the same degree of accuracy as in practice."

Silentpaw gave a slow nod. The apprentice closed her eyes, taking a moment to focus her senses. Once she got used to the onslaught of noise, she was able to sort through the individual sounds. She pushed the banging and yowling to the background and focused on the slow beat of Ivypool's heart, and the shuffling of her paws as she attempted to sneak up on Silentpaw.

The apprentice whirled to face her mentor. She mistimed it, caught off guard by her mentor's sudden lunge, and was thrown off balance. Ivypool tackled her to the ground, but Silentpaw twisted around, striking hard at Ivypool's shoulder with her hind legs, throwing her off. There was an _"__Oof"_ as Ivypool landed a fox-length away.

Silentpaw leaped to her paws. She strained to listen for her mentor, hearing a scramble of paws just in time to meet her mentor's attack. The apprentice rose up on her hind paws, meeting Ivypool's lunge with her front paws raised and ready to strike. She struck down on Ivypool, wrestling the she-cat to the ground. The banging and yowling threatened to overwhelm the apprentice, but she managed to stay focused on the cat she was fighting.

The two cats wrestled until Silentpaw had Ivypool pinned. As soon as Ivypool went limp, the yowling and banging stopped, and Silentpaw stepped off her mentor. Ivypool scrambled to her paws, shaking her pelt out. "Great job," she praised. Silentpaw held her head high, unable to hold back a deep, rumbling purr. "If you'd been just a little faster, you would have deflected my first attack, and you were dead-on the second time. Well done." She crouched, growling, "Now, let's try it again, and get it even better."

"Yes, Ivypool," Silentpaw growled. She crouched, every muscle surging with energy and excitement. She was so close to being a warrior, she could _taste_ it.

**SCENEBREAK**

They trained until sunhigh, trying different attacks and techniques before the session was done. When it was done, Ivypool sent all their Clanmates on their way, except for Jayfeather.

Her mentors settled in front of her, Silentpaw following suit and sitting. "You did good today, Silentpaw," Jayfeather told her. "You're really getting the hang of fighting without sight."

"Maybe I could give you a few lessons," Silentpaw teased, whisking her tail. "Then you won't be as bumbling as a three-legged badger."

Jayfeather flattened his ears, grumbling, "Cheeky apprentice," but the warmth in his tone contrasted his words. Silentpaw purred, closing her eyes in her contentment. Her muscles ached from the battle session, and her shoulder stung from being scraped against the sandy ground, but the glow of pride overpowered any discomfort. She had excelled today, and she knew it.

"We'll do more sessions like that over the next few days," Ivypool mewed. "I want to work your hearing and scenting to perfection for battle. But there's something else I want us to work on as well." Jayfeather stiffened, turning towards the she-cat. Silentpaw's ears perked with interest, and confusion.

Ivypool hesitated, then gave a small shake of her head before continuing, "So far, I've mostly been teaching you the moves your mother taught me, and some of the less deadly techniques that the Dark Forest warriors taught me." The tip of her tail twitched anxiously. "I've struggled with this for a while. Part of me wants to bury the deadlier moves those murderers taught me, and let them fade from memory forever. But I know that one day, you may need these moves to defend your Clanmates, and your own life. I trust you to only use them in the direst need." There was a haunted waver in her mew as she said, "The cats who created them were savages. There's a reason I've tried to put my training there in the past."

The apprentice held her breath, hardly daring to hope. She breathed, "But you'll do it? You'll teach me fighting moves from the Dark Forest?" She knew the history of the Dark Forest, the tales of their savagery and treachery. The thought of her brief trip there in her dreams still made her shudder. She had no desire to have anything to do with such traitors. But if she could take the bad things they had done, and make something good out of it, use their deadliest battle training for the good of ThunderClan, it would only make her a better warrior.

Besides, the moves that Ivypool had already taught her were far too easy now. She wanted to learn _more_, she wanted better, more challenging ways to defeat her enemies and defend her Clan in battle.

Ivypool hesitated, then gave a small nod. "Yes. Starting tomorrow."

Silentpaw felt fierce joy blaze through every hair on her pelt. But even through her joy, she didn't miss her mentor's uncertain flick of her tail. She padded up to her mentor, rubbing her head against her cheek, purring, "I promise I won't use what you teach me unless I absolutely need to. I just want to be the best warrior I can be for ThunderClan."

Her mentor relaxed her tensed posture. Ivypool gave Silentpaw a swift lick to her ear, murmuring, "I know. You'll make a great warrior, Silentpaw." Silentpaw closed her eyes, imagining that day, so close now, when she would finally become a warrior. It would all be thanks to what Ivypool and Jayfeather had taught her,

A few paces away, Jayfeather got to his paws, calling to the other cats, "Come on, slowpaws. Bramblestar will be wondering where we are." He started off for camp, flicking his tail for the she-cats to follow.

Ivypool and Silentpaw both rose to follow Jayfeather. As they headed back for camp, Jayfeather slowed to walk beside Silentpaw, letting Ivypool take the lead. "I'm very impressed with your progress in training," he told her, the usual gruffness gone from his tone. "You've worked very hard to get this far."

Silentpaw dipped her head sheepishly, mewing, "It took me a while, but I figured out how to actually work for what I want." She tipped her head curiously. "Are you surprised I manged to get this far? You know, being blind?" She knew that Jayfeather had struggled with his warrior training before choosing the path of a medicine cat. Had he doubted that a blind cat could ever become a full warrior? Did he resent that Silentpaw was mere days away from becoming a warrior when he'd never gotten the chance to be one?

The medicine cat paused, as if surprised, then reached out to touch his nose to her ear. "I've always believed in you," he murmured. "I knew from the start you'd be a warrior, without a doubt. And don't worry about me," Jayfeather added with a hint of amusement. "I've had my time. I never got to be a warrior, but my life hasn't been worthless, thank you very much." Silentpaw purred in amusement. "Really though, I'm happy for you."

"Thanks." Silentpaw paused, then added, "I don't know if I would have made it here if you hadn't fought Bramblestar to make sure I got to train as a warrior. You always supported me." She nudged his shoulder, adding, "Thank you." Jayfeather just gave a short nod in response.

There was a brief silence. Silentpaw's pride and excitement began to fade as darker thoughts set in. Half a moon had passed since Shrewfoot and the other warriors had been seen hunting on ThunderClan territory. Since then, the ShadowClan border had been patrolled day and night. No ShadowClan warriors had been seen on their territory after that, but the threat of attack still hung over the Clan. "I might need to use those moves sooner rather than later," she commented sadly.

"Very likely," Jayfeather mewed darkly. "If I know anything, it's that cats like Shrewfoot don't give up that easily." He sighed. "There will always be cats who think that their blood means they're better than other cats. That's why Leafpool and Squirrelflight lied, after all. Because they knew not every warrior would be kind to the halfClan kits of a medicine cat." Silentpaw blinked in surprise. Jayfeather and Lionblaze hardly ever talked about Squirrelflight and Leafpool's lies about their parentage. Leafpool and Squirrelflight had been forgiven, and all of Jayfeather and Lionblaze's parents were recognized as such, but it wasn't brought up often.

The medicine cat continued, "The Dark Battle brought cats together, but now we're divided again." He added wryly, "Perhaps you've got the right idea. Friendships across Clan borders is better than this. Cats dividing over who's pure Clan and who isn't. It's mousebrained. Thistleclaw, Tigerstar, and now Shrewfoot. It never ends."

Silentpaw pressed her head against Jayfeather's shoulder. She pointed out, "Yeah, but things are better now than they were then. In Tigerstar's time, little kittypet Rusty joining ThunderClan was something unheard of. They all doubted he would ever be a warrior, cats in his own Clan openly mocked him, just for being born a kittypet. But now, there's barely any pure ThunderClan warriors left in this Clan, and all the other Clans have their fair share of halfClan cats, and rogues and kittypets. Times have changed. Cats with impure blood are far more accepted." She lifted her chin, adding, "And it'll get even better, it has to. Shrewfoot and her kind are a dying breed. There will always be cats like her who hate for no reason, but the cats who are accepted are growing, and they'll win out in the end."

Jayfeather didn't answer for several moments. He just stared at her, an amused quirk to his tail. Silentpaw wished he would say something, or do something, to tell her what he was thinking. It wasn't often she couldn't tell his thoughts. Finally, he mewed, "I hope you're right. We could all do for things getting better around here."

After that, it didn't take long to reach ThunderClan's camp. When they did, they heard raised voices, and cats muttering to each other. As they padded through the thorn entrance, Silentpaw heard Sparkpaw snapping, "And why should we let you? You're probably here to spy for Tigerstar!"

"What is going on here?" Ivypool demanding, approaching the gathered cats. Silentpaw caught the scent of ShadowClan, and heard one cat start at Ivypool's voice. ThunderClan cats were surrounding the ShadowClan cat, growling and snarling at the unwelcome warrior. Silentpaw lifted her muzzle, sniffing curiously, but she didn't recognize the cat's scent.

Jayfeather, however, stiffened in recognition. "Twigclaw?" he mewed, clearly surprised. Silentpaw's ears perked. What did the ShadowClan medicine cat want with their Clan?

Twigclaw hesitated, then took a step towards his fellow medicine cat. "Jayfeather," he rasped. "I've come to speak with you. It's urgent."

* * *

Bit of a cliffhanger, but I'll try to get the next chapter out soon, so there won't be much of a wait.

I wanted to show that Silentpaw was progressing well with her training, and that she was learning how to fight even when blind, something Jaypaw had trouble with in his first battle. She's a good hunter, but far more skilled in battle.

And yeah, Ivypool will be teaching her Dark Forest moves now.

Dunno, forgot what else I was gonna say here. :P

Next chapter will be in Blazepaw's POV.


	18. Chapter Sixteen

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Sixteen

Blazepaw followed Snowfall and Finchpaw back into camp through the thorn entrance. The apprentice held a squirrel in his jaws, unusually plump for leafbare. He hadn't been able to find much else, but at least the squirrel would feed a warrior or two.

Ever since Snowfall had been made a mentor, he'd had less time to spend with Blazepaw. Of course, Blazepaw understood. Snowfall's first duty had to be to his apprentice, not to mention Blazepaw had his own training to focus on. But every so often, Snowfall brought Blazepaw along on one of Finchpaw's training sessions. This time they'd been squirrel hunting. Finchpaw was an alright hunter, but that was to be expected this early in his training. At least he seemed well-focused, and took in everything Snowfall told him. Though Blazepaw wasn't sure whether that was the mark of a dedicated apprentice, or a subdued young tom who was still grieving his sister.

As the three cats passed through the thorn barrier, Blazepaw was surprised to see some sort of crowd around the medicine den breaking up. Cats were growling and muttering to each other, and pelts were bristling all around. Blazepaw and Snowfall shared a surprised glance, before approaching one of the cats, Sparkpaw. Blazepaw dropped the squirrel at his paws, asking, "What happened?"

"Twigclaw came to see Jayfeather," the dark cream-and-white tom told him in a growl, his neck fur fluffed up with anger. "They're meeting in his den."

Blazepaw stiffened, sharing a concerned glance with Snowfall. As he did, he noticed Silentpaw out of the corner of his eye, slipping into a clump of brambles just outside the medicine den. The apprentice fought back an irritated hiss. _What in StarClan is she up to this time?_

He nudged his squirrel towards Snowfall, asking, "Could you take this to the fresh-kill pile?" Snowfall nodded. Once he picked up the squirrel and led Finchpaw away, Blazepaw turned and padded off, heading for the brambles hiding his sister.

Silentpaw's ears perked in surprise when Blazepaw shoulder his way into the brambles beside her. Once he was sure he was totally concealed, he hissed, "Are you mousebrained? What are you doing? Haven't you been in enough trouble for a few lifetimes without spying on medicine cats?"

His sister seemed unconcerned. "I wanted to know what was going on. Now shush!" She flicked an ear towards the den, indicating to listen.

The tom fought the urge to rake his claws over her ears. As mousebrained a move as he thought this was, he also didn't want to expose a trouble-making Clanmate in front of ShadowClan's medicine cat. Reluctantly, he grumbled, "Lower your haunch, the brambles aren't thick enough to hide you there." The apprentice obeyed, crouching lower to hide from view.

There was a crack in the stone wall of the medicine den directly in front of him. He pressed a paw against the stone, leaning in close enough to peer through the hole and see the cats within.

Jayfeather was seated calmly on his nest, while Twigclaw stood before him. The ShadowClan cat was clearly anxious - his eyes were wide, and his shoulder fur bristled uncomfortably. Jayfeather's expression was unreadable.

"You shouldn't have come here," Jayfeather was telling the other medicine cat. "Things between our Clans are so tense, I'm surprised my Clanmates didn't shred you."

Twigclaw bristled. "They wouldn't dare," he mewed indignantly, though there was uncertainty in his tone. "I'm a medicine cat."

"I wouldn't put it past them," Jayfeather sniffed. "Now, why are you here?"

The brown tom hesitated. He shuffled his paws a bit before finally answering, "Two moons ago, I was given an omen." Blazepaw stiffened in surprise, and Silentpaw leaned forward curiously. Jayfeather's ear flicked, but that was the only sign of surprise from the tom. "I saw a mighty show broken in half by a great, shining light."

Jayfeather flicked his ears forward, tail twitching in annoyance. Blazepaw watched in confusion. Was Jayfeather having trouble reading the other medicine cat? "Did you come for help interpreting it?" the small tom asked.

"Hardly. A kit could interpret it," Twigclaw growled. "The last time a ShadowClan medicine cat saw a great sign like this, it meant the same thing."

"Tigerstar," Jayfeather stated. "He's the shining light for your Clan, a strong new leader."

Twigclaw nodded grimly. "Yes. And he's also the blinding light that's driving ShadowClan apart."

Jayfeather tipped his head, asking, "But why come to me about it? Your omen doesn't concern ThunderClan." Twigclaw looked away, and Jayfeather's ear twitched, as if in response to what Twigclaw was thinking. In a softer tone, he added, "I'm not Littlecloud. I can't hold your paw and help you be a medicine cat. You're on your own now."

The ShadowClan tom's head snapped up. He spat, "I know that! I'm not here for that."

"Then for what?"

Twigclaw's ears flicked irritably. He began to pace, pelt bristling. "I told Tigerstar about my omen," he told Jayfeather. "But he didn't take it seriously. He won't listen to me, he refuses to believe he's doing anything wrong as leader. And things are just getting worse and worse."

"Because of Shrewfoot," Jayfeather mewed. "She's dividing the Clan too." Twigclaw stiffened. "And now you want me to do what, exactly?"

The medicine cat looked up hopefully. "Talk to him. You're one of the Three. The Clans respect you. Maybe you can talk some sense into him. He needs to start disciplining his warriors, and managing our hunting better."

Jayfeather's blue eyes lit up with surprise. "Respect us? They fear us. They know ThunderClan has the advantage as long as they have the Three, they know we can spy on the other Clans whenever we like, read their minds, walk in their dreams, and we can't be beat. Tigerstar has seen first-hand what we can do. If I show up in that camp, Tigerstar won't listen, he'll see it as a threat." He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Twigclaw. But I can't help. Besides, Bramblestar already gave Tigerstar a chance to back down peacefully."

Twigclaw deflated. He sighed, turning his head away. "I know. But he's too proud to listen. Tigerstar's no fool – he knows that he's losing control of ShadowClan, that we're all either going to starve to death soon, if we don't turn traitor first. But he's so scared and proud that he refuses to admit he's done anything wrong or listen to any other cat. He'll lead us all into a badger's den before admitting he's wrong." Blazepaw was shocked to hear how open Twigclaw was being about the problems in his Clan. Even Silentpaw seemed surprised, her gray eyes wide. "I know he can be a great leader. He's better than this. He can be the bright light that ShadowClan needs. But he's refusing to listen to what any cat has to say."

Jayfeather tipped his head curiously. "Has StarClan spoken to you since they gave you the omen?"

"No," Twigclaw replied, a frustrated edge creeping into his tone. "And I don't have any clue what to do. I'm supposed to be a medicine cat, and all I have is a sign no one wants to hear about, and a leader who won't listen to me. My herbs can't cure starving cats. I feel so useless!" He looked up, suddenly hopeful. "What about you? Has StarClan spoken to you recently?"

Jayfeather hesitated, then shook his head. "Not since the Dark Battle," he told the other tom. Blazepaw leaned forward, curious. It sounded as though Jayfeather weren't sure of his own answer. Was he lying? But before he could ponder on it longer, mewling from outside the medicine den distracted him, driving Jayfeather's hesitation from his thoughts. Blazepaw turned to look towards the sound, as did Jayfeather and Twigclaw.

Three familiar little forms scampered out of the nursery, yelping and mewling in their play. Redkit pelted after her adopted littermates, Sunnykit and Shadowkit leading her on a merry chase. The red-brown tabby lunged, tackling her tawny sister to the ground. Sunnykit yelped, scrambling to throw the smaller she-kit off. Shadowkit crouched, his dark tabby pelt fluffed out as he leaped onto his sisters, sending them all tumbling away. As he watched the tomkit play, Blazepaw was struck by a very strong image of Tigerstar. The kit's resemblance to his ShadowClan brother couldn't be denied. Other than the pitch-black stripes, and a slight difference in the shade of his fur and his eyes, he was the image of Tigerstar, and of Bramblestar.

Twigclaw's gaze softened, warm affection in his dark green eyes. As they watched, Squirrelflight emerged from the nursery, slowly approaching her kits, adopted and not. With a mistrustful glance towards the medicine den, and its guest, she shooed her kits back to the nursery.

"That's them, isn't it?" the medicine cat asked softly. "Rowanstar's kits. I see their strength in him." His whiskers twitched in amusement. "And Tawnypelt's spirit."

Jayfeather stiffened. "Yes," he answered stiffly. Blazepaw heard a protective edge creep into his tone. These weren't just Jayfeather's young Clanmates to protect, Blazepaw remembered – these were his adopted siblings. His new brother and sister. There was a pause. "Tigerstar wants them, doesn't he?"

Twigclaw looked warily at the ThunderClan tom, clearly wondering how much to give away, before turning away with a sigh. "Yes," he admitted. "He thinks that they belong in ShadowClan. That Bramblestar has been dishonest for keeping them so long."

"Rowanstar _gave_ them to us," Jayfeather pointed out sharply. "It's not as if we stole them."

The ShadowClan tom shook his head. "Rowanstar was ill. He died soon after. Tigerstar believes his mind was clouded, that he acted against his best judgment, in the haze of a dying mind. He thinks that the kits belong in ShadowClan, with their kin."

Jayfeather growled, "But they have kin here, in ThunderClan, and parents who adore them." The tom suddenly stiffened, ears flicking as he listened to Twigclaw's mind. "That's why Rowanstar gave them to us," he realized aloud. "He knew that ShadowClan was dividing. About Shrewfoot stirring up hate against halfClan cats. He knew his kits wouldn't be safe there. But ThunderClan could protect them." He flattened his ears, tone growing urgent. "What is Tigerstar planning? He can't take those kits to ShadowClan. They're not safe."

Twigclaw's eyes narrowed. He drew himself up, tone suddenly stiff. "Tigerstar is my leader. Whatever his faults, I stand by him. I certainly won't reveal his secrets to another Clan's medicine cat." For as stiff as he was acting, there almost seemed to be a note of warning in his tone. He held his head high, telling Jayfeather, "I see now that coming here was a mistake. May StarClan light your path, Jayfeather."

He turned and padded out of the medicine den. Blazepaw crouched down, holding his breath, but Twigclaw didn't seem to notice him or Silentpaw. The ThunderClan cats in camp had stiffened as Twigclaw walked out of the medicine den. Twigclaw initially flinched at the glares and growls, but after a moment, he drew himself up and stalked proudly past the glowering warriors. Blazepaw's Clanmates didn't stop glaring at the medicine cat until he'd disappeared beyond the thorn barrier.

Blazepaw let out a slow breath. Twigclaw had left, and they hadn't been caught. "Alright," he murmured to his sister, "If we just wait a few minutes, we can slip out when no one's..."

He was cut of as Silentpaw pushed past him, heading straight into the medicine den. "Jayfeather!" she called out.

The apprentice gave a low, irritated hiss. "Or we can just barge right in, sure, no problem," he grumbled. Blazepaw reluctantly got to his paws, following his sister into the medicine den on stiff legs.

Jayfeather's ears flew up in surprise as the apprentices padded into his den. "Silentpaw? Blazepaw?" Then his eyes narrowed, and his tone hardened. "So. You heard all that, did you?"

Silentpaw wasted no time apologizing. "Things are getting worse for ShadowClan, aren't they? That's why Twigclaw came to you, he wouldn't have told you about the omen if he thought there was any other option."

The medicine cat sighed, shaking his head. "Don't you remember how things turned out last time you eavesdropped on conversations that don't concern you?" he grumbled. After a moment, though, he reluctantly told Silentpaw, "Yes. He kept most of his thoughts clouded from me, but I could feel how worried he was. ShadowClan grows more divided by the day, and they're all starving."

Silentpaw's gaze softened with sympathy. Blazepaw held back a growl – if Silentpaw even so much as considered going to help ShadowClan like she'd gone to help RiverClan, he would personally whack her over the head with a stiff rabbit.

Trying to push back his irritation, Blazepaw asked Jayfeather, "Did you hear whether Tigerstar was planning an attack or not?"

Jayfeather's expression grew grim. "Not definitely, but Twigclaw gave me as much of a warning as he could manage without giving away an exact day." He stood, his thin gray pelt bristling. "We have to warn Bramblestar. We need to make sure the camp is properly guarded. Tigerstar cannot get those kits." There was a dark, protective gleam in his blue eyes as he spoke of his adopted siblings.

"What about Shrewfoot?" Silentpaw asked. "She's stirring up trouble against halfClan cats. She's dividing her own Clan."

The medicine cat nodded. "Twigclaw tried to hide it, but I could see, she's gaining far more control in ShadowClan, than even Tigerstar has right now."

Silentpaw shuddered, shaking her head. She mewed, "She's going to destroy her own Clan. You heard Twigclaw, the omen said that ShadowClan would be broken. Even StarClan sees that ShadowClan is being torn apart." Her tone hardened. "We have to do something. ShadowClan will be destroyed, if Shrewfoot doesn't use it to destroy the rest of us first."

Blazepaw bristled. Typical Silentpaw, always jumping in head-first to solve the other Clans' problems without giving a thought to her own Clan first. Even worse, Jayfeather was nodding slowly. "Perhaps if Bramblestar..."

"No!" Silentpaw and Jayfeather both turned towards Blazepaw, looking surprised at the outburst. Blazepaw was bristling from head to toe, back arched, and his green eyes were blazing. Hearing Jayfeather almost agree with Silentpaw made something in him snap. He spat, "Stop it, both of you! We're _ThunderClan_ cats. We should be worrying about _ThunderClan._ I'm sick and tired of all of this running around helping RiverClan, and ShadowClan, and eavesdropping, and leaving your own Clan behind to drown while you're off helping our enemies! And you, Jayfeather, you're as bad as she is! I'm not saying the Clans should never help each other, but one stupid, arrogant apprentice who thinks she can save the Clans all on her own shouldn't be meddling in the other Clan's affairs while her own Clanmates need her help! If you want to be a _real_ warrior, you better get that through your head!"

Blazepaw didn't stop to see the shocked, hurt expression on his sister's face, or the reprimanding look on Jayfeather's. He turned and stormed out of the den, growling and muttering to himself. He already regretted his outburst, but not enough to go back and apologize.

Silentpaw was heading down that slippery slope again. She wanted to go help ShadowClan. Didn't she realized what that would do? It would destroy her Clan's trust in her. They'd only just started trusting her again after she abandoned them to help RiverClan. If she did something foolish to help ShadowClan, they would never trust her again. _Someone_ had to drill it into her head that what she did had consequences.

He could only hope that, this time, she had listened.

* * *

Ugh, I'm going through some writer's block here, so I'm not totally happy with this chapter, but at least it's done.

Anyway, Twigclaw visits, and we finally hear more about the omen from the prologue. And a very tiny hint at the prophecy for the books. I'm sorry that I haven't brought it up more often, but it really doesn't come into play until much later. Rest assured, Jayfeather still remembers the prophecy, and it weighs heavily on his mind. I will also say that he is the only living cat who knows it - he hasn't told Bramblestar, or Silentpaw's parents, or Silentpaw herself.

In case anyone's forgotten the prophecy (I certainly wouldn't blame you, with how little I've mentioned it), here it is again; "Dark times are coming. Only blind loyalty and silent sacrifice will save the Clans."

Also, to recap, there's a quarter moon left until Silentpaw and Blazepaw are one year old. I've been trying to keep a close eye on how old everyone is.

Next chapter is Silentpaw's POV. I'll try to have it posted soon.


	19. Chapter Seventeen

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Seventeen

Two days after Twigclaw's visit, Silentpaw waited in camp by the fresh-kill pile. Ivypool had promised to meet her to discuss their training for the day.

Silentpaw was still reeling from what she'd heard two days ago. From Twigclaw, and from her brother. There was so much to sort through, her thoughts were so tangled and twisted around themselves. She sat beside the fresh-kill pile, tail curled around her tail and head bowed as she mused over what she'd heard.

"Hey." Silentpaw was startled out of her thoughts by Ivypool's mew.

She looked up in surprise, ear twitching in greeting. "Oh, hi Ivypool," she purred, her mood brightening. Maybe a good sparring session, with difficult Dark Forest moves to master, would take her mind off of things. "Are we training this morning?"

Ivypool hesitated. She admitted, "Actually, I was going to let you have the morning to yourself and take you training after sunhigh, if that's alright."

Silentpaw's whiskers twitched in amusement. It wasn't that odd to have time off of training, but the hesitant lilt to Ivypool's tone left no doubt to her mentor's reasons. "Hunting with Toadstep?" she asked lightly, trying to hide her amusement at Ivypool's expense.

"No! Well, yes, but..." Ivypool trailed off, tail quivering uncertainly. "Nevermind. I'll tell him we can hunt some other time."

The apprentice's ears shot forward in alarm. "That's not what I meant!" she protested. "You don't have to do that,"

Ivypool shook her head, meowing, "No. Training my apprentice should come before hunting with a... with Toadstep. I shouldn't be neglecting my duties."

Silentpaw sprang to her paws, padding closer to her mentor, muzzle stretched forward as she implored, "You're not neglecting anything. We don't have to train every moment of every day, no apprentice does. I can handle hunting on my own for the morning. It's part of my job anyway, I can't spend all day battle training, that doesn't fill bellies. You go ahead and have fun." Ivypool looked away, tail whisking anxiously.

She may not posses Jayfeather's powers of insight, but Silentpaw knew how to read the sweep of her mentor's tail, and her silence. "There's something else, isn't there?" she asked gently.

Ivypool didn't answer at first. Her ears flattened back against her head, chin tucked against her chest in clear discomfort. Finally, she murmured, "It's been moons, but sometimes I still wake up trembling like a kit because I dreamed I was there again. I feel it creeping back when I'm not thinking. I can feel a thousand claws tearing me apart, the blood flying, the stench of death and rotting wood. The hot, sticky red under my own claws." A shudder ran all the way down to her tail. Silentpaw felt a surge of compassion for her mentor, and had to fight the urge to lean forward and give her ear a comforting lick. "I left a very dark past behind me in the Place of No Stars. Some of that blood will never wash from my claws." The tremor in her tone made Silentpaw's blood freeze. There almost seemed to be something Ivypool wasn't saying, something too dark and desperate to name.

Her mentor lifted her head, mewing wretchedly, "I'll be hunting with Toadstep, and suddenly I'll feel Mapleshade's breath on my ear, or Thistleclaw's claws score across my flank. And even worse are the memories where my claws are the ones sheathed. A good morning hung will suddenly feel cold and bleak. How can I ever leave that behind?"

Silentpaw was reeling from her mentor's show of utter despair. Ivypool had always kept a collected appearance for her Clan. Silentpaw knew she carried dark memories with her, but she'd never realized how close her mentor was to falling apart, not in all their moons of training. "I thought you had," she answered honestly.

"In part, I have," Ivypool replied. She'd managed to collect herself a bit more, pulling herself back from mewling like a kit. "I've tried to move on. I can hunt and fight for my Clanmates, train my apprentice, do my duty. Dovewing has been a great help, and so has my father, and my mother before she passed. They've made it feel that Clan life is soothing I can enjoy again, not just something to distract me from bad memories."

"But...?"

Ivypool sighed. "But with Toadstep, there isn't kinship tying him to me. He's not my sister - he's a tom, a great, sweet tom who never presses me when the memories are too much. And anything I would have with him would have to be a commitment from both of us. Not something we're born into, but something we choose."

Silentpaw stiffened, realizing aloud, "You don't think you deserve to have him choose you. Dovewing and Birchfall have to stand by you because you're kin, but you don't think Toadstep deserves to have to help you." Part of her wanted to yowl that she was a mousebrain, that she deserved all the blessings StarClan had to offer, but she held her tongue. She knew something as horrific as her mentor's past couldn't be fixed by the angry ranting of her apprentice.

"It's more complicated than that," her mentor told her with a shake of her head. "I haven't told him very much about the time I spent in the Dark Forest. I expect I'll tell him more in time, but there are some things I'll never tell any cat. Things that I've done..." She shivered, tail curling in against her. "How can I ask him to be with me when I can't give all of myself to him? I'll always be holding the darkest parts of me back."

Silentpaw struggled to find a way to answer. It was so unlike Ivypool to suddenly dump all of this on her - she must have been holding this back for days. But she wasn't some young apprentice who shouldn't be burdened by a warrior's worries. She was nearly a warrior herself, and she was determined to help the mentor she had come to care about so much. "Do you love him?" she finally asked.

Ivypool seemed surprised by the question. She paused, then gave a small nod. "Yes, I do," she said in a surprisingly firm tone.

"I wish that were enough, but I don't think it is, not always," the apprentice mewed grimly. "You have to think about what's best for you. If being with Toadstep, or any cat, is something you're ready for. It's alright if you're not. If you think the best thing to help you heal is to go back to training, I'm up for it. If not, I'll go hunt." She leaned forward, pressing her muzzle against her mentor's cheek. "You deserve to be happy."

Ivypool flinched in surprise, then softened, giving a swift lick to Silentpaw's cheek. "Thank you," she rasped. "I'm trying to believe it, and one day perhaps I will believe it entirely." The warrior was beginning to relax, recovering from her dark mood.

"You don't have to decide anything right now," Silentpaw pointed out. "Go hunting. Have fun. Just keep in mind what you've been through and what you need to heal before making any big decisions."

Ivypool nodded slowly. "I think I will. Thank you, Silentpaw." She tucked her chin in to give her chest fur a few swift licks. "And I'm very sorry for bothering you with all of this. You're my apprentice - I shouldn't be burdening you with my problems."

Silentpaw just rolled her eyes, telling her, "I won't be an apprentice much longer. Don't worry about it. If you ever do want to talk, let me know. We'll be warriors together soon, but you'll always be the cat I owe all my training to." She knew no brief talk could solve Ivypool's problems, but at least she knew that Silentpaw would support her.

"I know." She touched her nose briefly to Silentpaw's. "I'm very proud of the warrior you've become." Ivypool gave a final flick of her tail, then bounded off for the thorn barrier, her paw steps growing fainter as she left the camp behind.

After she had gone, Silentpaw sighed, tail drooping. Now that Ivypool's dilemmas were no longer at the forefront of her mind, her own worries returned full-force. But it wouldn't do to sit around and think of them.

She set off, sniffing towards the warrior's den. A few warriors were resting outside the den, sharing a morning meal. The apprentice's ears perked as she recognized the scent of a friend. "Hey Ambertalon," she called, halting before the lounging warriors, "Want to go hunting?"

The small warrior looked up, ears flicking forward. "Sure," she mewed easily.

"Mind if Rosepetal and I come with you?" Seedlight asked. "We aren't on a patrol until sunhigh."

Silentpaw hesitated, remembering how Rosepetal had been one of the strongest doubters of her loyalty after her return from a moment, she nodded. "Alright."

After the warriors finished their meal, Silentpaw and her hunting patrol headed out into the woods. Seedlight was quick to take down a vole, but more prey didn't seem forthcoming. Silentpaw tried to ignore the hunger that clawed at her belly, barely sated by the mouse scraps she'd eaten that morning.

Suddenly, there was the ruffle of feathers ahead of her as a bird burst from a bush. Silentpaw and Rosepetal were closest to the creature. Without giving herself time to be surprised, Silentpaw lunged for the bird, giving a mighty swipe to send it tumbling to the ground. It skidded against the forest floor, wings waving wildly as it tried to right itself. Before it could fly away again, Rosepetal leaped upon it and killed it with a quick nip to the neck. The bird fell limp at warrior's paws.

Rosepetal scuffed earth over the bird with one paw. "Nice work," she meowed to Silentpaw. The apprentice searched her tone for reproach, but found none. "That was quick thinking."

"Thanks," Silentpaw mewed, trying not to sound too pleased. Nearly three moons had passed since her return from RiverClan. It seemed that her Clanmates were starting to truly accept her again, even the strongest doubters of her loyalty.

The older warrior finished burying her prey, patting earth over it. She stood, saying, "Let's try further past this thicket. We should try to find more before we return to camp."

Silentpaw nodded. "You're right, let's go."

They set off again, leaving the buried vole and bird behind them. As they walked, Ambertalon commented brightly to Silentpaw, "It can't be more than a few days before Bramblestar makes you and Blazepaw warriors."

"I hope you're right," Silentpaw mewed back, feeling a twinge of uncertainty at the mention of her brother. "As much as I love training with Ivypool, it'll be nice to have my full name and sleep in the warrior's den."

"You've earned it," Seedlight said, giving Silentpaw's broad shoulder a friendly nudge. "ThunderClan's first blind warrior, and one of our best fighters. You'll send them running home shaking in their pelts."

From further ahead of the younger cats, Rosepetal added darkly, "And if we have to battle ShadowClan soon, we'll need all the warriors we can get."

Silentpaw fell silent. Twigclaw's visit from two days ago flashed in her mind, just as it had been doing most of the morning. The omen of the broken shadow, Shrewfoot dividing ShadowClan, Tigerstar wanting Rowanstar's kits. War seemed closer than ever, if not with ThunderClan, then within ShadowClan itself. If Tigerstar didn't weaken his Clan further with his foolish quest to get the kits, and Shrewfoot didn't tear it apart with her warmongering, then she would use it to wage war on any Clan with impure blood. It was a mess.

Ever since Twigclaw's visit, Bramblestar had ordered his warriors to strengthen the walls and dens of the camp. He hadn't told them of Twigclaw's warning, but he'd said that he feared Tigerstar might try something soon, while the kits were still young enough to carry. Things were more tense than ever in the camp. It was nice to get away and hunt with friends for a bit, but even the fresh air of the forest couldn't drive Silentpaw's worries from her mind.

"You alright, Silentpaw?" The apprentice was jolted from her thoughts by Ambertalon's voice. The tiny warrior sounded concerned - she'd noticed Silentpaw's anxiety.

Silentpaw didn't want to reveal what she'd overheard from Twigclaw, and why, so instead she shared her other worry. "I was just thinking about something Blazepaw said."

To Silentpaw's surprise, Ambertalon's whiskers twitched in amusement. "Ah, still mad at you, is he?"

"You knew about that?" the blind she-cat asked sheepishly.

"I'm pretty sure the whole Clan knows," Seedlight mewed apologetically.

Ambertalon shook her head. "Mousebrained tom," she mewed fondly. She flicked an ear towards Silentpaw, a knowing edge to her tone. "You two really need to talk. Then maybe he'll stop bristling like a badger and you can stop moping."

_It's not that simple!_ Silentpaw wanted to yowl. She remembered Blazepaw's outburst after they'd eavesdropped on Twigclaw. He'd been_furious._ She had never seen her mild-mannered brother so angry before.

She had known that he was angry she had left to help RiverClan, and he was still bitter about it, but his yowling had thrown new anger at her as well. He seemed to think she was planning on running to ShadowClan's aid without a thought for serving her own Clan, or ever being there when they needed her. It wasn't a stretch, from what she'd done for RiverClan, but she had learned from her mistakes. Did Blazepaw truly think so little of her loyalty to ThunderClan? How would she ever prove to him that her loyalty was here, and that she would never abandon them again?

Even worse had been the barb about leaving her Clanmates to drown. She had done her best to move past Dewpaw's death, and how she hadn't been there to help him. But Blazepaw's words had left a cold doubt in her gut. A question kept worming its way to the front of her mind, over and over. Did Blazepaw blame her for Dewpaw's death? And even worse; _do I blame myself?_

But she didn't want to bother Ambertalon with all that, so she just gave a small nod and padded on. The warrior didn't seem terribly convinced. She drew her chin up and sniffed, "No need to look so gloomy about it." When Silentpaw didn't react, her tone softened. "Are you sure you're alright? I know things have been tense with you and Blazepaw lately, but it'll be alright." She tipped her head. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Silentpaw hesitated. She would love nothing better than to unburden herself to a friend, but now wasn't the time, or the place. Perhaps she would talk about it with Darkbreeze later, but even then, she didn't know if she could tell any cat everything she was afraid of. Some of it was just too much. "Thanks, but no thanks," Silentpaw told the smaller warrior. She shook her head, fluffing out her pelt against the cold. "Come on, let's hunt.

**SCENEBREAK**

They hunted until sunhigh, managing to scrape up another vole and a mouse before returning to camp. Silentpaw and Ivypool trained until sunset, returning to camp sore and bruised from their battle training, but content with the work they'd gotten done. Ivypool had taught her several Dark Forest moves, and Silentpaw had excelled at them. It had even managed to get her mind off of Blazepaw and ShadowClan, for a time.

Her troubled thoughts returned after her training session ended, but when she curled up in her moss nest for the night, stomach still tight with hunger, those thoughts were driven completely from her mind. Once she drifted off to sleep, she found herself in the same musty, rotting forest she had visited nearly two moons ago.

Silentpaw froze, bristling from head to toe. _No. Not again._ The cold, clammy ground underpaw made her paws tingle, and the musty air filled her nose with the stench of rotting wood. She tried not to gag on it, flattening her ears against her head and shutting her eyes tight. The apprentice crouched, curling in on herself, trying to hide how she was trembling. _I don't know why I'm here!_ she wanted to wail. _I want to go home!_

Suddenly, the mist around her seemed thicker, swirling and weaving around her, almost as if it was alive. It stroked at her pelt, like the soft brushing of a pelt against her own. Silentpaw flinched away, trying to escape the strange touch, but the mist simply tightened around her. She stiffened as a strange voice spoke in her ear. "So. This is the Silent One. How disappointing." The voice was female, but not like the voice of any cat she'd ever known. It was too sharp – almost like the crackling of a flame.

"Who's there?" Silentpaw snapped, swinging her head from side to side. She could scent nothing but a musty, rotting stench, and could feel no presence other than the mist. And yet the voice had to be coming from somewhere. "What do you want?"

Silentpaw felt the world around her beginning to fade as her dream slipped away. The last thing she heard before slipping back into softer dreams was the strange voice laughing, a light, breezy sound, and the murmured words, "We will meet again soon. Don't worry, I won't keep you waiting."

* * *

Blech, still have some writer's block going on, but this was a bit easier to write. Not totally happy with it though. Hmm. Hopefully later chapters will be easier.

We get another glimpse of the Dark Forest here, and a strange new character. I won't say anything further about it yet, but we'll find out more later.

After this, I only have ten chapters left in this book, then it's onto Book Three.

I don't really have anything else to say that I can think of.

Next chapter is Blazepaw's POV.


	20. Chapter Eighteen

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Eighteen

Blazepaw started as Silentpaw jolted awake beside him. His sister was staring at nothing with wide, gray eyes, the white streak on her head the only part of her he could see in the den, still dark in the early morning. He flinched, startled, at her frenzied panting and rapid blinking, as though she were trying to figure out where she were. "What's going on?" he asked. "Are you alright?"

His sister's breathing gradually slowed, her trembling form stilling. She released a slow breath, her ears and head drooping. "Nothing," she murmured, trying to stifle a yawn. "Just a bad dream." Silentpaw settled her head back onto her paws. After a few moments, her breathing slowed to a gentle snore, her sides rising and falling peacefully. Whatever dark dream that disturbed her sleep, it seemed to be gone now.

The tom tried to fall back asleep, but after a few minutes, decided he was too awake now. He rose to his paws, picking his way carefully around his denmates. Finchpaw twitched as Blazepaw's tail brushed against his nose, and Lightpaw shifted in his sleep across the den, but none of the apprentices woke as Blazepaw slipped quietly out of the den and out into camp.

It was too early for the sun to be up. The sky was still pitch-black, speckled by the bright stars of Silverpelt. The moon hung low in the sky, swollen and huge, casting a silver glow on the stone hollow below. It wouldn't be long until the next Gathering. Blazepaw lifted his muzzle, staring up at the shinning disc and hoping that the next time he traveled to the island under the full moon's light, he would do so as a warrior.

None of his Clanmates were awake yet, so Blazepaw made his way across the hollow, heading for the thorn barrier. As he pushed through, shoving past the thorns, he saw Bumblestripe sitting guard just outside the entrance. His mentor flicked an ear towards his apprentice, turning to look at him. "Blazepaw? What are you doing awake?"

"Woke up, and I couldn't fall back asleep," he told his mentor. He sat beside Bumblestripe, curling his tail around his paws. He was as tall as his mentor now, with the same sleek, lean muscle under his short pelt. "Thought I might as well take a walk."

Bumblestripe glanced at his apprentice, meowing, "Sounds like a good idea." He stood. "Here, I'll go ask Foxleap to take over early, and we can go together."

Blazepaw's ears flicked forward in surprise. "Sure, if you like. That sounds nice."

The apprentice waited as Bumblestripe disappeared behind the thorn barrier, reappearing several moments later, followed by a groggy Foxleap. "Alright, we can go now," Bumblestripe told his apprentice.

They said a farewell to the grumbling tabby, then set off into the woods. All the trees and ferns were edged with silver from the moon's light. The leaves and grass underpaw were crisp with frost. Bumblestripe's pale pelt glowed nearly white, and Blazepaw's own light ginger pelt was a dull silver in the light.

As they walked along, Bumblestripe glanced at the frost-edged leaves, commenting, "It won't be long now until it snows. Millie said she scented a snowstorm on the breeze, coming in a few days."

Blazepaw's eyes narrowed. "That'll make hunting even harder," he mewed grimly. "We'll have to send out more patrols. We have many kits and elders, they'll need plenty of prey to see them through the cold season."

"Yes. But at least this time, no cat has fallen ill from greencough," Bumblestripe mewed.

"Yet."

The pale tabby acknowledged his apprentice's point with a flick of his tail. "All we can do is hunt for our Clanmates, and hope the rest will work in our favor. We can't command the seasons or summon prey that isn't there to be hunted. There's no sense worrying over what we can't control."

Blazepaw sighed. "I guess. But it's hard not to worry when hunting's just getting harder and harder. The elders are all too thin, and the kits aren't eating as well as they should." He sniffed at a nearby shrub, thinking he'd caught a trace of mouse-scent, but there was nothing there. He turned away with an irritated lash of his tail. "And leafbare's only just begun."

"You've been doing your fair share of worrying lately," Bumblestripe meowed gently. Blazepaw stiffened, looking away. "I know you're still angry with Silentpaw. Do you want to talk about it?"

The apprentice flattened his ears, growling, "No. Not at all." Before Bumblestripe could inquire again, he picked up his pace. "Come on, let's see if we can't bring back a mouse or two before dawn." Bumblestripe stared after him, clearly unconvinced, but he didn't try to press the issue again.

They stayed out until the first lights of dawn, scrounging up an old blackbird to take back to camp. As they approached the camp, Blazepaw could scent ThunderClan warriors, recently here, heading into the woods. It seemed the dawn patrol had left already.

They were almost at the thorn barrier when the wind changed, and a new scent drifted towards them. Blazepaw stiffened. "Get down!" he hissed, crouching down behind a bramble bush, his mentor beside him. The young tom's hackles raised as he recognized the acrid stench. "ShadowClan," he growled.

A few seconds later, he saw them. Lithe shapes were moving through the pale light of dawn, slipping through the ferns and brambles with silent ease. He stiffened, searching for the gray pelt of Shrewfoot, but all he could make out were Tigerstar's broad tabby shoulders. Foxleap sat before the camp, watching the forest carefully, but the ShadowClan warriors were circling around to the side of him, ready to take him out before he could warn his Clanmates.

Bumblestripe stiffened. "They've come to steal the kits," he realized.

"We've got to stop them," Blazepaw growled. "We have to warn ThunderClan."

As the ShadowClan patrol crept closer and closer to the guarding tabby, Blazepaw and Bumblestripe burst from the shelter of the bramble bush, fur standing on end, eyes blazing, and fangs and claws bared. As the ShadowClan cats whirled around in shock, and Foxleap looked up, they caterwauled and screeched at the top of their lungs. "ThunderClan! Intruders! Attack!" They fell upon the ShadowClan warriors, tackling the surprised cats. Blazepaw fell upon a mottled brown she-cat, dragging her down into the dirt and sinking his fangs into her shoulder.

There were yowls and cries from within the camp as Blazepaw and Bumblestripe's battle cry alerted them. The element of surprise had been lost to the invaders. Tigerstar's cats rushed past Foxleap, pouring through the thorn barrier and into the camp. The mottled brown she-cat tore free of Blazepaw's grip, racing off into the camp. Blazepaw spat out blood, leaping to his paws and pelting after the ShadowClan cats, Bumblestripe and Foxleap on his heels.

The camp was in total chaos when Blazepaw burst through the thorn barrier. Cats were everywhere, writhing and shrieking, tearing into each other with ferocity. Now that Blazepaw had a better view of the invaders, he was shocked to see how few ShadowClan cats there were. Only a handful of the pelts through the throng of fighting cats didn't belong to his Clanmates. Why had Tigerstar brought so few cats to this attack? Luckily, his view of the camp didn't show the gray pelt of Dewfrost. He sent a quick prayer that the she-cat had not come to attack the Clan that had sheltered her.

As he scanned the clearing, he recognized a few warriors here and there, but to his surprise, none of the attacking ShadowClan cats were cats he'd seen supporting Shrewfoot. The apprentice felt a sinking feeling in his gut. Had Tigerstar displayed common sense for once and chosen not to bring cats who didn't fully support him, or did he have so little control over his own Clan that his warriors wouldn't even attack when he ordered anymore?

Blazepaw noticed a cream-pelted she-cat making a break for the nursery. _The kits!_ He hurled through the mass of fighting cats, trying to reach the nursery, but a tortoiseshell blur slammed into him, sending him skidding across the sandy floor of the camp. Blazepaw landed hard on his shoulder. He tried to look up at his attacker, but she was already on top of him, biting down hard onto his shoulder. The apprentice gasped as searing-hot pain blazed through his pelt.

As he struggled to break free, he recognized the scent of his attacker. "Specklefoot!" he gasped. It was the she-cat who had recognized Silentpaw.

The young warrior didn't reply. She just sank her fangs in deeper, growling loud against the apprentice's ear. Blazepaw felt a rush of panic, but forced himself to think, and remember his training. He twisted around, slamming Specklefoot hard in the head with his front paw. The blow was enough to dislodge the tortoiseshell. As she shook her head, disoriented from Blazepaw's strike, he twisted around to hurl himself at the she-cat.

They tumbled, biting and scratching, until Specklefoot finally tore herself free. She fled back into the mass of fighting cats. Blazepaw stiffened, watching to see if she'd try to attack the nursery, but she went the complete other direction, hurling herself at Blossomfall.

Blazepaw shook his head, trying to clear it. His shoulder stung like fury from where Specklefoot had bit him, but he couldn't focus on that now. He got unsteadily back to his paws and hurled himself towards the nursery. But once again, a ShadowClan cat got in his way. It was the mottled she-cat he had faced earlier. She stood before him, back arched and yellow eyes blazing. She swiped at him with claws extended. Blazepaw dodged the blow, but wasn't fast enough to avoid the next strike that caught his ear. He staggered back, dazed, his ears ringing from the blow.

The she-cat crouched, ready to pounce, but before she could, a snow-white blur hurled itself into her. When Blazepaw started to feel less dizzy, he saw that it was Snowfall, and Ambertalon was right on his heels, biting down hard on the she-cat's tail. The mottled she-cat screeched, ripping free of the siblings and fleeing the camp. Blazepaw growled, shaking his head. "Thanks," he grunted to his friends.

"No problem," Snowfall panted.

Ambertalon spat out blood and fur. The tiny she-cat's amber eyes were blazing with a fierce joy. She didn't want war between the Clans any more than any other cat, but Blazepaw knew that she thrived on the battle field. "Come on, let's go protect those kits." Blazepaw gave a short nod. With his friends, he took off for the nursery.

By the time they got there, the cream-pelted she-cat was gone. Sparkpaw stood before the nursery, backs fluffed up to twice his size. Within the den, Blazepaw saw Squirrelflight huddled over her kits, her fangs bared and her green eyes narrowed in pure hatred. Daisy had her tail swept around Dovewing's kits, but there was no sign of the young gray queen.

Sparkpaw spat, baring his fangs as Blazepaw's approached, but he relaxed as he recognized his Clanmates. "That she-cat didn't get the kits," he assured Blazepaw. "But there'll be more coming."

Blazepaw nodded. "We have to keep the nursery guarded." He joined the young tom, crouching protectively in front of the den. Snowfall and Ambertalon joined him, baring their fangs at any approaching ShadowClan cats.

The ShadowClan cats were fleeing from their attackers, making breaks for the nursery. There were only a few warriors, but they were enough to overwhelm the three apprentices. Blazepaw was cornered by Stoneclaw, and Sparkpaw was chased from the nursery by the cream-pelted she-cat. Snowfall stuck by Blazepaw as the nursery was accosted. The two toms fought as one, back to back, guarding their backs while they faced their enemies. Ambertalon had gone after the cream-pelted she-cat, hooking her claws into her flank and dragging her back, away from the apprentice. Nearby, Blazepaw saw Dovewing and Bumblestripe fighting together, ducking and weaving around their enemy with practiced ease, as if they were one cat.

While the guards were distracted, the few ShadowClan warriors left were able to tear away from their attackers and break through the nursery entrance. Blazepaw noticed Tigerstar among the cats flooding into the nursery. There were startled meows and the high-pitched mewls of kits. As Blazepaw fought, he saw Squirrelflight through the woven wall of the den. The ginger she-cat was fluffed up to twice her size, green eyes blazing with fury as she faced two warriors at once. She was holding her own, not letting the cats anywhere near her kits. Blazepaw was impressed – he'd never seen what a formidable fighter the small deputy was. She was fighting like all of TigerClan itself to protect the kits that weren't her blood, but were hers none the less.

His view was blocked by Stoneclaw. The gray tom tried to make a hard strike at Blazepaw's head, but the apprentice ducked, clamping down hard on the tabby's leg. As he fought, he noticed how the tom's moves were slow and sluggish, and how his thin pelt clung to his frame. What did Tigerstar think he was doing, bringing such half-starved, desperate cats to attack ThunderClan?

There was a screech from within the nursery, then Tigerstar emerged, Shadowkit in his jaws. The kit's amber eyes were wide with shock, and he was wriggling and screeching. Blazepaw felt a jolt of panic. He tried to make a break for the leader, but Stoneclaw blocked his way. Frustrated, he bit down harder on the tom's leg, making him yowl.

As he watched, Seedlight raced in front of the ShadowClan tom. She hesitated, clearly not wanting to injure the kit, before striking. Tigerstar struck out hard with one paw, but she dodged nimbly to the side, then swung her front leg out, knocking the dark tabby's front legs out from under him. His front end collapsed, and Shadowkit fell from his jaws. Before Tigerstar could right himself, Shadowkit had gotten to his paws and scrambling away, racing back to the nursery with his tail between his legs.

Tigerstar struggled back to his paws. He faced Seedlight, eyes blazing with fury. "ThunderClan will not keep those kits!" he spat. Seedlight balked a bit in the face of the massive, nine-lived leader, but the young warrior stood her ground, back arched.

Before Tigerstar could attack, Bramblestar came out of nowhere, knocking Seedlight out of harm's way. Blazepaw hadn't seen him during the majority of the fight, but he could see the claw marks of enemies scored across his dark pelt. The ThunderClan leader was_furious_, roaring out a battle cry, the fury of TigerClan blazing in his eyes. "_Stay away from my kits!_" Before Tigerstar could even react, Bramblestar rose up on his back legs, his front paw slamming up so hard against the underside of Tigerstar's jaw that Blazepaw heard a_crack_.

Tigerstar fell back against the sandy ground of the hollow. The yowling and screeching of other fighting cats began to fade, the ShadowClan cats turning to look at their leader, eyes wide with horror. Tigerstar did not move from where he had fallen.

Blazepaw was shaken clear of Stoneclaw's leg as the gray tabby fled. As he spat out blood, he watched Tigerstar, realizing with shock that the dark tabby was losing a life.

Specklefoot and the cream-colored she-cat immediately rushed to Tigerstar's side. Most of the rest of the ShadowClan cats had already fled, leaving only a few warriors left. The fighting had come to a halt – every cat was waiting to see what would happen next.

After several moments, Tigerstar finally stirred. He let out a low moan, lifting his head groggily. Bramblestar stood over him, huge and noble as a TigerClan warrior, his amber eyes darker than Blazepaw had ever seen them. In a deep, forbidding growl, he told Tigerstar, "You have lost this battle. Go now, while I still allow it. And if you ever come near my kits again, I won't let you off with only one life lost."

Fury flashed briefly in Tigerstar's eyes, but after a moment, they dulled again, suddenly weary. The ShadowClan leader looked too weak to argue. He simply dipped his head to Bramblestar. Specklefoot and the cream-pelted she-cat helped Tigerstar to his paws. The massive tabby had to lean on his warriors as he trudged out of camp. His warriors followed him, heads and tails held low. Blazepaw watched them leave, surprised how quickly the battle had ended, and how quickly Tigerstar and his warriors had been defeated.

Once the ShadowClan cats were gone, Bramblestar turned and headed straight for the nursery. Blazepaw waited, holding his breath until the tom emerged again. "The kits are all safe," he mewed, sounding dazed with relief. "None of them are hurt."

"Thank StarClan," Snowfall breathed, still next to Blazepaw.

There was a commotion at the thorn entrance. Blazepaw crouched, ready for another go, but it wasn't returning ShadowClan warriors. Instead, the dawn patrol came into camp, staring at the blood and fur spattered clearing with wide eyes. Ivypool was at the front of the patrol, Lionblaze, Birchfall, Lightpaw, and Silentpaw with her. The silver-and-white tabby seemed shocked at the state of the camp. "What happened here?" she demanded.

"Tigerstar attacked," Bumblestripe informed her. He was across the clearing, his ear torn pretty badly. "He tried to steal the kits."

Dovewing added, "But we drove them away, and Tigerstar lost a life."

Silentpaw stiffened in shock. "We found ShadowClan scents crossing the border and heading back to camp, so we came back as fast as we could," she told her Clanmates.

The she-cat broke away from her patrol, heading towards Blazepaw, but the tom turned stiffly away. The last thing he needed right now was an awkward confrontation with his sister.

Leafpool and Jayfeather were already weaving among their Clanmates, ready to give aid. He knew it would be a while before they could see to him, so Blazepaw headed for the nursery, padding into the torn-up den.

Squirrelflight was crouching over her kits, mewling and cooing to them in reassurance, but the three kits seemed terribly shaken. They were yelping and mewling, trembling from head to toe. Daisy was across the den, comforting Dovewing's kits.

Squirrelflight stiffened as Blazepaw entered the den, then relaxed as she recognized him. "Ah, it's you." she mewed. "Could you do me a favor? I need to help Bramblestar plan out repairs for the camp and patrols, but the kits need to be looked after."

Blazepaw dipped his head. "Of course, Squirrelflight," he mewed respectfully.

The ginger she-cat gave each of her kits a final, loving lick, then got up and padded past Blazepaw. The young tom approached the kits, curling around them as they mewled in fear. "Who was that mean tabby?" Shadowkit asked, staring up at Blazepaw with wide, frightened eyes.

"Why did he try to take Shadowkit away?" Sunnykit wailed. Redkit said nothing, but clung to Blazepaw, trembling like a leaf.

The tom quieted the kits with soothing licks, murmuring, "The tabby was from ShadowClan. You know you have kin there, right?"

The kits nodded, starting to calm. "Squirrelflight said our mother and father were from ShadowClan," Sunnykit told Blazepaw.

"She's right," he informed the kit. "And that tabby, he's your brother, Tigerstar, and the leader of ShadowClan."

Shadowkit's eyes opened wide. "Our brother?" he repeated, sounding horrified.

"Yes. And he thinks that you should be in ShadowClan, where you can be with your kin," Blazepaw told him. "But Rowanstar, your father, wanted you to be raised in ThunderClan, so we'll raise you here. Tigerstar will never be allowed to take you."

Shadowkit stared up at him, his expression a mix of horror and confusion and doubt. Blazepaw wondered what was going through the young tom's mind. But before he could ask, Sunnykit declared, "If I ever see that mean old tabby again, I'll bite him on the nose! I'll never let him take Shadowkit!"

"Me neither," Redkit growl, her trembling fading. "We'll be the best warriors ThunderClan's ever seen, and then we'll kick his tabby butt!"

Blazepaw purred in amusement. The kits had gone through quite a shock today, but they would be alright. ThunderClan, whatever they thought of Rowanstar's decisions, would fight and die to protect these kits, and they would grow up to be strong, loyal ThunderClan warriors.

He only hoped Tigerstar would not try such an attack again.

* * *

Ah, finally, I get to write some action. I'm not usually as good with it as dialogue, but it's easier to write cats fighting than people fighting, which is what I have trouble with. Plus, there's been no real battles until now.

Tigerstar tries a foolish, short-lived attack on ThunderClan to try and get the kits, but loses a life to Bramblestar and is driven from the camp in shameful defeat. Fail.

Next chapter shall be in Silentpaw's POV. Only nine chapters left.


	21. Chapter Nineteen

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Nineteen

"Again!"

Silentpaw crouched, baring her fangs before lunging. Ivypool met her attack, rearing up and striking out hard at her apprentice with her front paws. Silentpaw twisted away, butting her head against Ivypool's side, knocking her away with her greater weight.

There was a scuffle of paws from behind her, then another cat attacked her, grabbing her tail and yanking on it hard. In an instant, Silentpaw rose up on her front paws, her hind paws connecting soundly with Bumblestripe's jaw. As the older tom released his grip on her, Blazepaw attacked from the side, trying to bowl her over, but she was already two steps away, meeting Ivypool's surprise attack with a strong blow to the shoulder. Bumblestripe came at her again, but she whirled around to snap at his front paw, tugging it down hard to unbalance the tom, then quickly used her hind paws to strike out at Ivypool, whirling around and finishing with a strike with her front paw at Blazepaw.

"Stop." At Ivypool's command, Silentpaw froze, falling back to all four paws. Her attackers halted as well. Ivypool approached her apprentice, tail waving lazily. "Very well done, Silentpaw. You've gotten much better at fighting large groups of enemies."

Silentpaw felt a burst of pride. "Thanks," she purred. Ivypool had been using the last few days to teach her how to fight groups of cats on her own. She had based it off her teachings from the Dark Forest. Silentpaw had to stay light on her paws, ready to twist around to face any new attack, using all four paws to fight. She was excelling at it so far. As much as she enjoyed the session, she hoped it ended soon because of how well she was doing – she had promised to meet Darkbreeze at sunset by the border.

"That was impressive fighting," Bumblestripe praised. The fluffy tom raised a paw to rub his jaw, clearly sore. "I've never seen a cat move that fast."

Blazepaw approached his sister, giving her shoulder a nudge, muttering, "Good fight." Silentpaw tried not to look too pleased that her brother was speaking to her again, or at his praise.

"Now," Ivypool mewed, flicking her tail sharply as she circled around to face her apprentice, "Let's fight, one on one. I won't hold back, so use all those Dark Forest moves I taught you."

Ivypool had barely finished speaking when she leaped towards Silentpaw. The apprentice considered dodging, but she allowed herself to be knocked to the ground. As Ivypool sent her tumbling to the ground, Silentpaw timed it so when she landed on her back, she shoved out hard with her hind paws at her mentor's belly. Ivypool was thrown off balance. Silentpaw twisted around to her paws, arching her back fast to throw Ivypool off of her. The warrior was thrown off, stumbling away, but quickly regained her balance.

The two she-cats came at each other again, not with the practiced ease of a laid-back battle session, but with the speed and ferocity of a Dark Forest training session. Ivypool struck out, her paw scored hard across Silentpaw's shoulder. Had her claws been unsheathed, it would have been a deep slice through her pelt. Silentpaw ducked around to Ivypool's side, quickly avoiding the snap of her mentor's jaws where her neck had just been. She felt a blaze of pain as Ivypool bit down on her tail, tugging her hard to get her off balance. Thinking quickly, Silentpaw grabbed her mentor's forepaw in her jaws. She yanked her head back sharply, timing it so that Ivypool was flipped over, landing on her back with a hard slap of muscle against dirt. She heard a gasp of surprise from Bumblestripe and Blazepaw, but she paid them no mind. Before her mentor could struggle back to her paws, Silentpaw had her pinned, a paw held to her throat.

Ivypool gagged at the pressure on her throat. "Good," she gasped out. Silentpaw immediately released her grip on her mentor, stepping back so the warrior could get to her paws. Ivypool struggled to rise, grunting in pain as she got to her paws. She stiffened in pain as her back shifted as she rose – it must have been sore from the fight. Silentpaw's shoulder felt sore and bruised from the force of Ivypool's blow, and her tail stung like fury. But her blood was surging with such a fierce joy that she hardly cared.

She asked her mentor, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Ivypool grunted, though she still held her head oddly, as if afraid to move her back too much. "That was excellent. You've come a long way." The warrior hesitated. "It's not too much, is it? I don't want training to get too fierce." Silentpaw heard a tremor in her tone, and felt a fierce rush of sympathy. Ivypool was clearly remembering the ferocious training in the Dark Forest, where cats weren't allowed to leave until their pelts were criss-crossed with deep slices from each other's claws, and where cats could die if the training got too rough. The warrior must have worried about taking training too far with Silentpaw and hurting her without meaning to.

Silentpaw fluffed up her pelt, blood surging with joy as she assured her mentor, "I'm fine. I love training like this." She crouched, growling, "Let's go again!"

Ivypool's dark mood faded as she purred in amusement. "Very well. This time, use your strength and weight more to your advantage. You're bigger and stronger than me now," she added with an amused mew. "You have to use anything and everything you can to your advantage. Your size, your speed, your surroundings, and even your blindness."

"Her blindness?" Blazepaw repeated in surprise from his spot beside Bumblestripe. "How is that an advantage?"

The warrior nodded. "If you're attacking at night, in the dark, a cat's eyes will reflect in the darkness, making you easy to spot," she told her apprentice. "Your pelt is dark as night. The only white on your pelt is between your eyes." She padded a few paces away. It had rained the night before – there were mud patches all around. Ivypool swept her paw through the mud, getting it thoroughly coated, before returning to Silentpaw. To the apprentice's surprise, Ivypool reached her paw out and smeared the mud in a line across Silentpaw's nose to the top of her head. "If you cover your stripe, and keep your eyes closed, the enemy will never see you. You don't need your eyes to fight, so don't use them unless you have to. In a fight with many enemies, stealth is a warrior's strongest weapon."

Silentpaw dipped her head, taking in everything her mentor was telling her. "Yes, Ivypool."

"Good." Ivypool returned to her spot across from Silentpaw, growling, "Now, attack me."

The apprentice crouched, ready to go again. But before she could attack, a twig broke nearby. Ivypool stiffened, ears flying forward to catch the sound. Across the clearing, Blazepaw sniffed at the air, then froze in shock. "ShadowClan warriors approaching," he warned.

Silentpaw's hackles raised. _They're here?_ "What in StarClan are they doing this far into our territory?" she gasped.

"They're pushing how far they can go without a fight," Ivypool growled. "They think no one's brave enough to stand up to them. We're all just kittypet and halfClan scum, after all."

Bumblestripe lifted his head, warning, "Let's hide, I want to see what we're facing." He flicked his tail towards a nearby bush. Quickly, the ThunderClan cats hurried to crouch behind the bush. Silentpaw lowered herself, but apparently she wasn't low enough. Her brother reached out a paw, lowering her head a touch, and her tail, so she was completely hidden.

As they hid, the ShadowClan cats padded into the hollow. Silentpaw recognized the scent and mocking yowl of Shrewfoot as she joked loudly with her Clanmates, clearly not caring who heard. "Did you hear Dawnpelt mewling about those kits the other day?" she asked.

"She wouldn't shut up about it," Treeshadow replied. Her mew sounded muffled, as though she held something in her jaws. _ThunderClan prey, more likely than not,_ Silentpaw thought furiously.

"Her and Tigerstar both," Pinenose agreed. "All they want is to bring those halfbreed mongrels back to our camp. I say, let ThunderClan keep the runts. They'll only make ShadowClan weak."

Shrewfoot snorted in agreement. "But Tigerstar can't see that. He has no idea how to lead a Clan." Silentpaw heard two more cats mewing their agreement, Snowbird and Smokefoot.

As the ShadowClan cats joked loudly, Bumblestripe crouched low beside his Clanmates. "There's five of them," he murmured. "We're outnumbered."

"But they're outmatched," Silentpaw growled. Her Clanmates turned to her, clearly surprised. The fierce joy of battle was still pumping through Silentpaw's veins, a fierce, wild instinct taking over. "We can take them. Bramblestar said the next ShadowClan cat to step over our borders would be attacked. We can't let these cats get away with this."

Ivypool and Bumblestripe turned towards each other, deliberating silently, before Ivypool gave a small nod. "My apprentice is right. We can't let Shrewfoot think she can just walk all over our land. She needs to be taught a lesson."

"Then let's teach it," Bumblestripe growled. "Blazepaw, Ivypool, you sneak around the other side there. Silentpaw and I will wait here." At my signal, we'll attack."

Ivypool gave a sharp nod. She and Blazepaw set off in different directions, sneaking carefully around the group of intruders. Silentpaw crouched, ready to go. She wanted to feel ShadowClan fur rip beneath her claws. Shrewfoot was an awful cat, and now she would pay the price for thinking she could take ThunderClan's prey.

Once Ivypool and Blazepaw were in position, Bumblestripe yowled, "Attack!" The ThunderClan cats burst from concealment, hurling themselves at the startled ShadowClan warriors. With a fierce yowl, Silentpaw threw herself at the nearest warrior, Smokefoot.

She managed to knock the senior warrior off his paws. Once he was done, Smokefoot began struggling and flailing, his teeth and claws burrowing into Silentpaw's pelt. She let out a screech of pain. All around her, cats were screeching and yowling, paws and bodies thumping against the sand. She could feel claws on her pelt, but she could no longer hear her enemy, or tell where any of his limbs were, or where to bite. For a moment, the rush of battle, and the blood pounding in her ears, threatened to overwhelm her.

_Breathe._ Ivypool's advice from session after session rang in Silentpaw's ears. She forced herself to take a deep breath, calming her mind so she could focus. After a few moments, she could sort through the sounds of the battle, finally locating her enemy again. She struck out hard with her hind paw, hitting him hard in the gut. When the tom was winded, she wriggled free, twisting around to tackle him again, biting hard into his shoulder. His screech told her she'd hit a tender spot, so she bit down even harder.

The tom managed to tear free, batting at her with an unsheathed paw. Snowbird attacked from her other side, nearly knocking the apprentice down, but she managed to twist nimbly on her back paws, slicing downward across Snowbird's face as her front paws came down. The moment her front paws hit the ground, she rose up her back paws, striking out at Smokefoot. Smokefoot tried to bite at Silentpaw's tail, but she yanked it away too fast, whirling back to him to give him a hard strike at his weak shoulder. Fierce joy blazed through the apprentice. She had hit her rhythm, and now that she knew what she was doing, she was thriving. She felt more alive than ever before.

Around her, the other ShadowClan warriors were fighting her Clanmates. Smokefoot fled from the apprentice, only to launch himself at Bumblestripe. Blazepaw was pinned by Treeshadow, pummeling hard at her stomach with his hind paws. Ivypool was facing Pinenose, giving the older warrior such a fierce bite to the flank that she fled, yowling.

Snowbird's claws hooking into Silentpaw's flank brought her back to the battle at hand. She was dragged down into the dirt by the warrior. The apprentice tried to wriggle free, but Snowbird kept her claws hooked into her pelt, reaching down her muzzle to bite down hard onto Silentpaw's hind leg. Blinding pain seared through her leg. Silentpaw screeched, struggling to pull free, but Snowbird's grip was too strong.

Blinded by rage and pain, Silentpaw struck out such a hard blow to Snowbird's head that it sent shudders up her foreleg. The she-cat released her grip, dazed. Silentpaw leaped to her paws, ignoring the searing pain in her legs, and shoved Snowbird off her paws. As Snowbird struggled to get back up, Silentpaw pinned her front end, biting down hard on her side.

Snowbird screeched in pure agony. She tore herself free and fled the clearing, tail tucked between her legs. Silentpaw felt a rush of satisfaction. She turned, ready to aid her Clanmates, only to be brought face to face with Shrewfoot.

The young warrior scored her claws across Silentpaw's face before the she-cat could turn away. "What are you going to do, blind kitty?" she taunted. "Bump into me until I surrender?"

"I've known halfClan cats and kittypets worth ten of you," Silentpaw snarled, lips curled back in fury. "I won't let you make the Clans a place they can't live in safety."

Silentpaw tackled Shrewfoot, carrying the she-cat off her paws. The ShadowClan warrior proed to be a tough opponent, however, and thrashed enough to dislodge Silentpaw. She twisted around, pinning Silentpaw beneath her, biting hard onto her neck. Silentpaw felt a rush of terror. _She's trying to kill me!_ The apprentice thrashed and writhed, scoring her hind claws again and again against the warrior, but nothing seemed to dislodge Shrewfoot's grip. She felt herself growing weaker.

_Wham!_ Ivypool came out of nowhere, slamming into Shrewfoot, throwing her clear of the apprentice. Silentpaw gasped as breath rushed back into her lungs. She struggled to her paws, hearing Ivypool and Shrewfoot tussling together in the dirt. Most of Shrewfoot's supporters had fled at this point, leaving their leader to fend for herself.

Silentpaw raced over to the fighting warriors, hooking her claws into Shrewfoot's pelt and dragging her off. As Ivypool recovered, Blazepaw and Bumblestripe joined the attack, all working together to pin the warrior to the ground. Shrewfoot struggled, spitting out curses at the ThunderClan warriors, but the weight of three cats was too much for her. She finally fell silent, going limp beneath them.

Ivypool approached the she-cat on stiff legs, a growl rumbling in her throat. "Go back to ShadowClan," she sneered. "Next time you think to take ThunderClan's prey, remember this defeat."

Shrewfoot didn't answer, only bristling in response. At Ivypool's nod, the three cats backed up, allowing Shrewfoot to rise to her paws. The she-cat faced all of them, growling, "This isn't over yet." Then she turned and bounded after her Clanmates. Silentpaw listened until her pawsteps had faded away to nothing, only relaxing when she was certain the she-cat had truly gone.

The patrol had left behind all of their stolen prey. Ivypool sighed, suddenly sounding exhausted. "At least they did us the favor of providing us prey to bring back to camp," she joked wearily. The warrior leaned down, scooping up a squirrel that held Treeshadow's scent. "Come on, pick up what you can carry, then we'll head back to camp. Bramblestar needs to hear about this."

"And I think we all need to get our wounds checked," Bumblestripe added with a wince. Silentpaw felt a rush of sympathy. He and Blazepaw had only just fought in a battle two days ago, their wounds had barely begun healing from that, and now they had fresh injuries on top of that.

As Silentpaw plucked two of Snowbird's mice off the clearing floor, she finally started to feel her own wounds. Her nose and muzzle burned from where Shrewfoot had scratched her, and her hind leg and neck were in agony. Even her forepaw felt sore from striking Snowbird.

Trying to ignore the sting of her wounds, Silentpaw followed her Clanmates away from the clearing, the mice hanging from her jaws.

* * *

Wow. I was not expecting to write another entire chapter tonight. But yeah. That happened.

Anyway, another fight, and this time we see Silentpaw in a real fight for the first time. She handled herself pretty well.

I also wanted to show Ivypool teaching her more Dark Forest moves. The fighting with all four paws was something Hawkfrost demonstrated with a bunch of trainees in Sign of the Moon, and the move where Silentpaw used Ivypool's forepaw to unbalance her was used by Ivypool on Redwillow in The Last Hope.

Next chapter will be in Silentpaw's POV, again. Seven more chapters. And yes, I promise Silentpaw and Blazepaw will be made warriors soon, to all those asking.


	22. Chapter Twenty

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Twenty

Silentpaw stumbled after her Clanmates, trying to ignore how every step sent jolts of pain through her wounds. A sharp jab of pain in her neck made the apprentice grunt low in pain. Ivypool twisted around her head to look at her apprentice, tail-tip twitching anxiously. "Are you alright?" she asked her apprentice.

"Fine," Silentpaw told her, wincing at a twinge in her tail. "Just sore. Shrewfoot and Snowbird really put up a fight."

Ivypool slowed to walk beside her apprentice. She gently nosed the wound on Silentpaw's neck, causing the apprentice to flinch. "That looks pretty deep," she murmured, sounding worried. "We need to get you to Jayfeather."

Silentpaw wriggled away from her mentor. "I'm fine," she insisted.

"Sorry," her mentor said. "But make sure you get checked by Jayfeather when you get back." Her new lightened into amusement as she added, "Shrewfoot isn't the only one who fought well out there today. You fought like a warrior."

The apprentice lifted her head, the pain of her wounds fading in the face of this praise. "Thank you, Ivypool," she purred.

The patrol finally reached the camp. As they pushed past the thorn barrier, cats immediately started crowding them with anxious mews, alerted by the scent of blood.

"They're back!"  
"Are you alright?"  
"Great StarClan, she's bleeding!"

Dovewing nosed through the crowd, rushing up to her sister and mate. She wove between them, nuzzling and sniffing at their wounds. "We found Shrewfoot in our territory, stealing prey," Ivypool explained to all the crowding cats.

"We know," Dovewing told her. "I was keeping an eye on the ShadowClan border and saw them crossing it. I saw the fight."

Silentpaw heard a familiar gruff mew as a cat tried to push past the crowd. "Out of my way, let me through," Jayfeather meowed. As his Clanmates parted for him, Jayfeather approached the injured cats. He wove among them, sniffing their injuries, making his assessments. Leafpool padded out of crowd as well, a bundle of herbs in her jaws.

Jayfeather sniffed the gash on Silentpaw's neck, then the wound on her hind leg. "These are pretty deep," he grunted, gruff as ever, but Silentpaw caught a hint of concern from his mew. "They'll probably scar, but you'll live. Leafpool." His mother came to his side, dropping the herbs at her paws. Jayfeather grabbed the ones he wanted, then gave her a nod.

As Leafpool went off to treat a tear in Blazepaw's ear, Jayfeather chewed a few herbs into a poultice. He spat the herb goop onto Silentpaw's neck and leg; she had to fight to keep from gagging at the stench. "I was watching Dovewing's thoughts as she watched the fight," he told her. "You fought well."

"Thanks," Silentpaw mewed, wincing as he began laying cobwebs over her wounds. "I owe it all to Ivypool. She's really been helping me train hard to fight."

"She's a good mentor," Jayfeather agreed. "You're lucky to have her." He finished wrapping up her wounds, then sighed, setting aside his herbs. "I was so worried, watching that fight," he admitted, his voice unusually soft. "When Shrewfoot had you pinned, I thought I was going to watch her kill you."

Silentpaw felt a blaze of sympathy. "Oh Jayfeather, I'm sorry," she mewed. She butted her head against the medicine cat's neck, purring, trying to reassure him. "But I'm fine, I promise. I can take care of myself."

The tom relaxed, leaning his cheek against her head. "I know. I'm very proud of you, and I know you're as strong as any warrior now. But I still worry." Jayfeather gave the young cat a swift lick to her ear, then pulled back. His tone grew brisk as he added, "Right, I need you to take it easy the next few days. Don't strain your neck or your leg too much. Rest for the rest of the day, and light hunting tomorrow." He leaned down, nosing something towards the apprentice. "Here. Eat these."

Silentpaw leaned down, sniffing. Several small seeds sat in front of her paws. "Poppy seeds," Jayfeather told her. "They'll help with the pain.

Reluctantly, she lapped them up, swallowing them. She looked up, ears perked forward with concern, asking, "Can I still leave camp today?" She still wanted to meet Darkbreeze by the border later in the day. She tried to keep that thought shielded, however – as much as she trusted Jayfeather, she didn't know that he would entirely approve of her close friendship with the WindClan warrior.

Jayfeather hesitated. "I wouldn't recommend it," he told her.

"Please?" She perked her ears, imploring. "I won't hunt, I just want to walk."

The medicine cat stayed silent a moment longer, then grunted, giving a slight incline of his head. "Very well. It's no use arguing with you, either way."

Silentpaw's whiskers twitched. "That's because I'm as stubborn as you are," she said in an amused purr.

Jayfeather snorted, shaking his head at the apprentice's words. "Cheeky apprentice," he joked. "I'm going to go help Leafpool. Stay out of trouble." He got to his paws, then padded off, leaving the apprentice alone.

Silentpaw rose warily to her paws. She was careful to move slowly, but the poultice and cobwebs didn't seem in a hurry to move. They just clung uncomfortably to her pelt. Silentpaw padded slowly towards her den, trying to ignore pain twinging through her leg. Luckily, the fierce, searing pain she'd felt after the fight was dulling to a constant _thrum_ of pain. Jayfeather's herbs were working already to dull the pain. The fight had exhausted her – perhaps she could curl up in her nest for a while and nap before meeting Darkbreeze.

Before she could reach her den, a mew behind her made her pause. "Silentpaw!" She turned, only to be greeted by her mother nearly barreling into her, nosing her all over with soft, worried mews. "Are you alright? Dovewing told us what happened." Cinderheart stiffened as her nose brushed against the cobwebs on her leg. "You're hurt," she realized.

"I'm fine," Silentpaw assured her. "Jayfeather gave me something for the pain, I'm already starting to feel better."

Cinderheart pulled her muzzle away, relaxing. "That's good. And they don't look too bad. They'll scar, but the goldenrod and horsetail poultice should help."

Silentpaw felt the familiar trickle of curiosity she felt whenever her mother brought up the knowledge she had acquired in her past life as Cinderpelt. Her mind swirled with questions, but now was not the time to ask any of them. Ever since RiverClan, her parents had been far more forgiving than Blazepaw, but they had never spoken about her leaving. The silence has distanced them, and Silentpaw could still feel the boundaries between them. But right now, in the face of this danger to their daughter, she could feel those boundaries crumbling.

Her mother leaned forward, resting her chin on Silentpaw's bowed head. "I was so worried," she murmured. "Dovewing seemed so serious, and Jayfeather wouldn't speak to anyone. I thought we were going to lose you."

"I'm alright, I really am," Silentpaw mewed, trying to assure her mother. She pulled back, hesitating. She hated bringing it up, but there would never be a better time than now. "Cinderheart, about RiverClan. I'm so sorry for leaving that, without telling any cat."

Cinderheart didn't stiffen or act evasive about the subject as Silentpaw had expected. Instead, she seemed entirely at ease, ears held up and her mew calm and clear. "I know, dear one. I wish you had told me, but I understand why you had to leave."

Silentpaw's eyes widened. "You do?" she repeated, surprised.

"Yes." Cinderheart sat before her daughter, still completely at ease. "I understand what it is to want to help cats against the orders of your Clan." Silentpaw sat too, waiting warily for an explanation.

"Back when I was Cinderpelt, ShadowClan fell prey to a terrible illness," Cinderheart began. Silentpaw's ears perked with interest. Her mother almost never talked about being Cinderpelt. Silentpaw wasn't honestly sure how much her mother actually was Cinderpelt, and how much of it was just memories that had been planted in her head, and somehow, she had the feeling Cinderheart wasn't entirely sure either. "It had already killed their deputy, Cinderfur, and it soon took all of their leader Nightstar's lives. Two of their youngest warriors, Whitethroat and Littlecloud, came to our Clan to beg for our help."

"Wait, Littlecloud?" Silentpaw repeated in surprise. "The ShadowClan medicine cat?"

Cinderheart nodded. "He was a warrior before he trained to be a medicine cat," she explained. "My mentor, Yellowfang, had seen this illness before and claimed that it was highly contagious, and impossible to cure. She convinced Bluestar to turn the warriors away."

Silentpaw's ears shot back in shock. "What? How could she? They were dying!"

"She had her own Clan to think of," Cinderheart defended her old mentor. "Times were hard for ThunderClan in those days. Tigerclaw was loose in the forest, water was scarce, and the whole Clan was shaken by the treachery of our deputy and the shaky leadership of Bluestar. If we had been infected by the sick ShadowClan warriors, the Clan would have fallen apart."

She flicked an ear, a mischievous edge to her tone as she added, "But I was a stubborn apprentice. I hid Whitethroat and Littlecloud in our territory. I kept experimenting with various herbs until I finally found a combination that would cure the illness. I taught the warriors how to use the herbs, and they took them back to their camp to heal their Clanmates. Whitethroat died not long after, but Littlecloud was so impressed by how I'd put the herbs together to help him, he decided to become a medicine cat himself."

"Wow." The young she-cat felt a burst of admiration for her mother. "That was really brave. You saved ShadowClan all on your own. Did any cat ever find out?"

Cinderheart nodded. "One cat knew. My old warrior mentor, Fireheart."

Silentpaw stiffened in surprise. "Firestar? _He_ was your mentor?"

"Yes," Cinderheart said in an amused purr. "He was angry at me for risking ThunderClan lives by keeping the sick warriors on our territory, but he kept my secret, and he let them stay." There was something in her tone when she spoke of Firestar, something Silentpaw couldn't quite pin down, something almost sad.

"The point is," her mother said, "I know what it is to choose to follow your heart and help those in need even against the orders and wishes of your Clan." Her tone grew more firm as she added, "Just try and remember that the warrior code exists for a reason. Bramblestar and Squirrelflight lead this Clan well – trust their judgment, and the judgment of your Clanmates. Always fight for them first, above all other things. But always, _always_, follow your heart. That is what makes a true warrior." Cinderheart touched her nose to her daughter's ear. "And remember that you can always tell me anything. Lionblaze and I will always be here for you."

Silentpaw leaned into her mother's touch, closing her eyes in contentment. She felt more at ease now than she had felt since she had returned from RiverClan. Her mother had forgiven her; her spirits felt higher than they had in ages. "I know," she murmured. "Thank you."

After a few moments, Cinderheart pulled back. "Well, I have a patrol to get to. You rest, you hear me?"

"Yes Cinderheart," Silentpaw promised. Cinderheart gave a nod, then turned and bounded off, joining her patrol by the camp's entrance. The apprentice turned back towards her den, ready to turn in for a nap.

Before she could pad into the den, she was interrupted again, this time by Lionblaze nearly bowling her over. "Silentpaw! Are you alright?" The huge tom barely gave her a chance to answer, sniffing her closely all over, clearly frantic. His pelt smelled of the wild scents of trees and grass – he had been in the forest recently. "When Dovewing saw you attacking Shrewfoot's patrol, I went to go and help, but you were already gone. She told me you got hurt. Are you hurt?"

The apprentice shoved her father's muzzle away with one paw, insisting, "I'm fine, I'm fine Lionblaze! Stop fussing!" _Great StarClan, you'd think I was dying!_ she thought irritably. Were her parents going to make a fuss like this every time she had to fight for her Clan?

Lionblaze ignored her. He kept snuffling at her pelt until he was completely satisfied that her wounds weren't serious. The tom pulled back, breathing, "Thank StarClan." Silentpaw barely had a moment to breath before he embraced her, one paw on her back, his chin on her shoulder, which nearly reached his own. "I was so worried, I thought I would lose you, Silentpaw. I was scared to death."

Silentpaw hovered, unsure how to respond, before reaching out a paw and awkwardly patting Lionblaze's front leg. "Yeah, well, I'm fine," she promised.

She could feel her father trembling against her. "I'm so sorry that we haven't talked since RiverClan," he told her, tucking his chin tighter against her, as if afraid to let her go. "I was so worried when you left ThunderClan, I thought you'd gotten lost in the storm, and then when I found out you were safe, I was so angry that you'd left without telling any cat, that you'd made me worry like that. I'm so sorry. I should've said something, I shouldn't have just let you think I was angry at you like that."

"It's alright, Lionblaze," Silentpaw assured him. "I should have told you that I wanted to help RiverClan, and I shouldn't have left without telling any cat." She tried to pull free from her father's grip, but he was far too strong. "Now, er, could you let me go?"

"Hmm? Oh, right, sorry." Her father pulled back, letting his daughter stagger free. "Listen though, if you ever want to talk about anything, I'm always here. You can trust me."

Silentpaw sighed. "I know, Lionblaze," she promised. Her emotional reunion with both parents, the fight, and Jayfeather's poppy seeds, suddenly had her completely exhausted. "But right now I'm going to get some sleep."

Lionblaze stepped back, shuffling his paws sheepishly. "Right, sorry, didn't mean to keep you from resting. I just wanted to make sure you were alright." He gave a final flick of his tail, then padded off.

The apprentice waited until he was gone, then finally turned and entered her den. None of the other apprentices were inside. Sparkpaw, Lightpaw, and Finchpaw's nests all carried faded scents, suggesting their owners had been gone since early morning. She was too tired to ponder whether they were out hunting or training. Silentpaw approached her nest, flopping down on the soft moss as soon as she reached it. She was out in a matter of moments.

* * *

Ah, yay, finally in the twenties. :D Only seven left (I meant to type eight last time, sorry, I clearly can't count.)

Anyway, Silentpaw finally reconciles with her parents, and Cinderheart reveals a bit about her past life. I love the name Whitethroat, by the way. Just a side note. ^^

I think the line between how much Cinderheart is actually really Cinderpelt and how much it's more possession and Cinderheart is her own cat is pretty blurred, so I just decided to lean more towards reincarnation, even though TLH pretty much showed it was more possession. It's just easier to rationalize, for me at least.

Next chapter is in Blazepaw's POV.


	23. Chapter Twenty One

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Twenty One

Blazepaw was lying by the fresh-kill pile, utterly bored. Snowfall wasn't back from hunting, and Jayfeather had ordered him to rest after the battle with Shrewfoot's patrol. His wounds weren't too bad, mostly just a tear in his ear and some scratches on his shoulder and flank. Treeshadow had been too busy trying to keep the flailing apprentice pinned down to deal out much real damage. Jayfeather had given him some poppy seeds for the pain, but they hadn't made him drowsy like his sister, so he stayed awake instead, waiting for his friends to return to camp so they could hang out. Quite some time had passed since the battle – the sun was creeping down below the horizon, the sky painted in hues of red and pink.

Out of the corner of his eye, the young tom noticed movement by the apprentice's den. He lifted his head off his paws, looking up properly. To his surprise, Silentpaw was creeping out of the den. Her ears flicked about, checking for anyone watching her, then she slipped out, heading across camp to the thorn entrance. Toadstep, who was sitting nearby, stopped her briefly, but she said something to him in a cheerful tone, and he let her pass.

Blazepaw pinned his ears back, eyes narrowing. Silentpaw's wounds were deeper than his, and she was supposed to be resting. Where did she think she was going? He hesitated, then rose to his paws, padding after her.

As he passed Toadstep, he paused, turning to the black-and-white warrior and asking, "Was that Silentpaw I saw leaving camp? I thought she was resting."

Toadstep shrugged. "She just went out for a walk, she said she cleared it with Jayfeather earlier."

Blazepaw flicked an ear in acknowledgment, then padded on. Whatever Toadstep said, there was something off about this, and he was going to find out what.

The young tom slipped out of camp, keeping in a low hunter's crouch as he searched for his sister. He caught a glimpse of a black tail-tip disappearing through a bush, and started off, slipping carefully through the undergrowth after her.

Silentpaw didn't seem to notice that her brother was tracking her. She was heading into the wind, her scent blowing back towards Blazepaw, and masking his own. She padded confidently through the woods, her steps only slowed marginally by her wounds. Whatever Toadstep had said, this was no leisurely stroll through the forest. Silentpaw was going somewhere specific.

Blazepaw grew more uneasy as they neared the WindClan border. His anxiety reached its peak as he nosed past a thorn bush and saw Silentpaw strolling straight up to the border, and to the cat waiting for her there. It took a few moments for Blazepaw to recognize the dark tabby pelt, but when he did, he grew furious. What in StarClan did Silentpaw think she was doing sneaking out to see her WindClan friend Darkbreeze? Did she have any respect for the warrior code at all? Of all the mouse-brained, reckless, selfish things to pull.

Darkbreeze leaped to her paws as Silentpaw approached, her blue eyes wide. "You've been injured!" she exclaimed. The WindClan warrior leaned her muzzle across the border, sniffing at Silentpaw's injuries. She had to take a half-step forward to reach the apprentice. Her front paw brushed just against the border, but it didn't cross it. Blazepaw crouched, pelt bristling, utterly furious. He longed more than anything to have an excuse to attack and drive her off, but so far, she hadn't crossed the scent marks, other than her muzzle. He dug his claws into the dirt, frustrated.

"It's nothing," Silentpaw assured her. "Just a quick scuffle." Blazepaw noticed she didn't mention who she had been fighting, or ShadowClan stealing prey. "How's the prey running?"

"Pretty well," Darkbreeze told her cheerfully. "Caught a pretty big hare the other day. Sunstrike and her kits were grateful enough. Those kits are so cute. They'll make great apprentices one day."

Blazepaw's tail began to lash. These two were talking like they met up all the time, like they were old friends. He stiffened as the realization hit him. Back when he'd noticed her sneaking out, when he'd thought she was meeting Eeltooth. It hadn't been Eeltooth she was meeting, but Darkbreeze!

Silentpaw sat by the border, flopping onto her flank, the picture of ease. "Other than the fight, training went really well today," she told her friend. "It can't be long until Blazepaw and I are warriors. I can't wait!"

"Congratulations! The day after your vigil, let's have a feast," Darkbreeze purred. "We'll share our evening meal together. Just tell your Clanmates you want to eat outside camp, celebrate being a warrior alone, something like that. Just leave a clump of bluebells by the border that morning. I'll be checking the border regularly the next few days, so I'll know that that means to come here that night."

The apprentice perked her ears eagerly. "Sounds perfect!"

_That does it._ Blazepaw was sick of sitting by and watching while this WindClan cat and his sister chattered away like Clanmates. He pushed past the thorn bush, growling, "Oh, does it now?"

Both Darkbreeze and Silentpaw whirled around, leaping to their paws. Darkbreeze relaxed when she recognized the brother of her friend, but Silentpaw stiffened, gasping, "Blazepaw! Did you follow me?"

"Yes I did," he growled, "And now I see that I had a good reason to. What in the name of StarClan do you possibly think you're doing?" He was trying to keep his tone under control, but the rage made his voice tremble. "Do the laws of the Clans mean nothing to you? You're not some soft little kittypet who can make friends with all the other kittypets in the other gardens. You're an apprentice of ThunderClan. You can't do this!"

Silentpaw's eyes widened in shock. "I'm no fool!" she growled, her blind gray eyes flashing with fury. "I know the warrior code as well as any cat, and there's nothing in there against having friends in the other Clans, as long as you can put aside those friendships in order to protect your Clan." Darkbreeze said nothing, watching the confrontation between the littermates warily. Blazepaw ignored her for the time being.

"Can you?" Blazepaw challenged. "If it came down to it, if we attacked WindClan tomorrow, could you face this cat in battle? How about your RiverClan friends?" He turned away, disgusted. "You're more RiverClan that ThunderClan at this point."

His sister crouched low, pelt bristling and tail lashing. "Are you calling me a traitor?" she demanded in a vicious snarl. "I know you're angry with me, but don't bring my friends into this. I am loyal to _ThunderClan_. None of my friendships with any cat outside our borders will change that."

"This is _all_ about your friends," the ginger tom snapped. "Wherever you go, you trounce all over the warrior code. You don't care about ThunderClan. You stayed with RiverClan for a moon, you meet with this WindClan cat in secret. You just left your Clan behind when they needed you, you just _left_, and you didn't tell any cat, you didn't tell _me_..." For the first time, Blazepaw's voice broke. He was trembling all over, emotion welling up inside, threatening to overwhelm him.

Silentpaw's expression wavered, understanding lighting up in her eyes. "Blazepaw," she mewed softly, rising from her crouch, her pelt smoothing out. Blazepaw tried to turn away from her, but Silentpaw circled around him, lifting her head earnestly. "Listen to me. I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry. I shouldn't have gone to help RiverClan. But I felt like they needed me."

"It's not that," Blazepaw hissed, pinning his ears back. "I mean, I get it, I think. You just wanted to help." He faced her, his green eyes wide with emotion. "But why didn't you tell me? We're littermates. We trusted each other with everything. I would've helped you with anything. But you just left, and you didn't tell me. Didn't you trust me?"

"Of course I did," Silentpaw promised. "I didn't realize... I thought you were just angry I'd helped RiverClan."

The tom shook his head. "Of course not. I think you go overboard in helping the other Clans sometimes, but it's not like I want any cat to starve either. I just wish you'd told me. I would've helped you. That's what littermates do."

Silentpaw leaned her muzzle forward, touching her nose to his ear. He stiffened, then forced himself to relax. The tom butted his muzzle against her neck and closed his eyes. Silentpaw told him, "You're right. I would trust you with my life. I've always known you have my back, and I should have told you what I was planning with RiverClan. I just didn't think. I didn't think about any of the consequences, I just acted, like I always do, but I'm trying to get better. And you're right, I should have trusted you. You're my brother."

"I'm sorry too," Blazepaw murmured without opening his eyes. "I shouldn't have snapped at you like that, or avoided you. I was just angry and confused. I didn't know what to say, or what I was even angry about. I just didn't want to talk about it." He pulled back, tone growing more serious. "But it's not just you leaving like you did. I really do worry about you, and how you make friends so easily outside the Clan. I saw your Clanmates glaring at you when you came back, and when you talked to your friends at the Gathering. They didn't trust you. They thought you were a traitor. I was so scared of ThunderClan turning on you, I don't want to see you lose your Clan. And I worry that you become too close to enemy warriors without thinking of the consequences. If it came down to it, could you really face Darkbreeze or Eeltooth in a fight?"

"Yes," Silentpaw told him, tone utterly serious. "If I had to defend ThunderClan warriors, I would fight anyone I had to. It wouldn't be fun, but I'd do what needed to be done, because that's what a warrior does for her Clan." She waved her tail back towards Darkbreeze to indicate her. "I keep my meetings with Darkbreeze here a secret, but not because I believe we're doing anything wrong. I just don't think all my Clanmates would understand. Darkbreeze and I don't share Clan secrets, we don't give each other prey from our territories, I've never neglected my training or patrols to meet with her. We just meet in our spare time and hang out. She's my best friend, and I'm glad I can meet with her like this."

"Your sister is one of my best friends," Darkbreeze added, finally speaking up. "But I promise you, she's very loyal to ThunderClan. We would never betray our Clans for each other. It doesn't mean we can't be friends, though."

Blazepaw looked uneasily between the small, lean WindClan warrior, and his large, muscular ThunderClan sister. Silentpaw's best friend was a warrior of WindClan, she had close friendships in RiverClan, especially with Eeltooth. His sister's life was always going to be half-lived outside of the Clan. But looking at her now, he could see that she was resolute in her loyalty to ThunderClan. Her first loyalty would always be to them, and to him. He didn't need to be suspicious that she would abandon her Clan again, because she understood now how much they needed her. She would balance her friendships outside of the Clan with her loyalty to ThunderClan.

The tom relaxed, letting out a slow, deep breath. "I believe you," he told the she-cats. "I'm sorry I doubted you, Silentpaw."

"And I'm sorry too," she told him. "I know it isn't usual for cats from different Clans to be this close of friends. But I promise you, my first loyalty is to ThunderClan."

Darkbreeze purred in amusement. "Yeah, if ThunderClan ever tries stealing prey from our territory, I'll tear her ears off," she joked, lowering into a playful crouch.

Silentpaw whirled on the dark tabby, crouching low and pinning her ears back. "Yeah right," she snorted, tail lashing playfully. "I'd send your skinny WindClan tail back to camp in pieces." She swiped a paw at Darkbreeze's ear. The WindClan warrior dodged, growling playfully.

After a moment, Silentpaw rose back to standing. "We should probably go," she mewed apologetically. "Our Clanmates will be wondering where we are, and I want to get to rest the rest of the day so I can get back to training." She leaned across the border, touching noses with her friend. "See you later?"

"Of course!" Darkbreeze responded in a bright mew. "I'll be busy for a while, Weaselfur wants me for more patrols, but sometime in the next few days." She looked over at Blazepaw, giving a friendly wave of her tail. "Nice to see you again, Blazepaw." She sounded remarkably cheerful after witnessing the emotional reconciliation of the siblings.

"Nice to see you," Blazepaw mewed back, trying to sound as friendly as he could manage. As odd as the friendship between his sister and this she-cat was, she definitely seemed like a friendly, fun cat. The ThunderClan cats dipped their heads to the WindClan cat, then they all parted ways, Darkbreeze heading off into the moor, and the littermates going further into the woods.

As the littermates padded through the forest, Blazepaw noticed how they'd fallen back into their old formation, Blazepaw just a little behind Silentpaw, padding close enough that their pelts touched, the tom giving little nudges to guide his blind sister. Silentpaw didn't really seem to need his direction much anymore, but it was still nice to feel close to his sister again. The tension that had been between them since RiverClan had dissipated. He felt at ease with her again, and more at peace in general.

In the days to come, they would become full warriors of ThunderClan. They would take their oaths to become full members of their Clans, and their lives as warriors, hunting, fighting, training apprentices, would begin. Silentpaw would keep her friends, but she would also stay utterly loyal to ThunderClan. Their lives weren't perfect – ShadowClan, Tigerstar's terrible leadership, and Shrewfoot's warmongering, were still a dark cloud hanging over the forest. But Blazepaw and his sister were ready to fight together again, and they would face this head-on, as a time. They were brother and sister, and no fight, no breach of loyalty, would ever tear them apart.

* * *

Ack, sorry this one was so short, but this conversation was a long time coming. I hope it lived up to whatever you were expecting.

I know some of you have been taking sides in this fight between these two, but I personally think they both made misteps to cause the rift between them. I hope you agree with how this talk went.

Next chapter will be in Silentpaw's POV. We're coming up on the end here, guys. Only six chapters left, and we'll start wrapping things up very soon.


	24. Chapter Twenty Two

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Twenty Two

The squirrel sensed the danger too late. It squealed in alarm and whirled around to flee, but Silentpaw had already landed on its back and given it a quick nip to the back of its neck. The squirrel fell limp, falling silent under her paws.

Silentpaw scooped up the squirrel's body in her jaws, then trotted off, ears flicking about as she tried to find a good place to bury it.

Four days after the fight with Shrewfoot, Silentpaw's wounds still twinges on occasion, but they had healed enough to allow Silentpaw to train again. Today, she was completing her warrior assessment, hunting prey for the Clan as her mentor watched, somewhere. Blazepaw had passed his the day before, so if she passed this assessment, Bramblestar would set a time for their warrior ceremony.

The apprentice finally found a nice redwood with roots to hide her squirrel under. She promptly buried it and moved on. If she was going to pass this assessment, she needed to catch as much prey as possible before sundown.

Silentpaw held back a shiver as she stalked through the undergrowth in search of more prey. Leafbare had taken a turn for the freezing the last few days. Millie kept saying she smelled a snowstorm on the air, and with the way the forest kept getting colder and colder, Silentpaw didn't doubt it. She only hoped it wouldn't be too cold to meet Darkbreeze. She had promised to swing by the WindClan border before the end of her assessment, when she was sure Ivypool wasn't following her, and say a brief hello before returning to camp.

The apprentice caught the scent of a blackbird. She crouched, ready to start tracking it, when she caught another, strong scent, coming her way. She curled her lip, recognizing the rank stench instantly. _ShadowClan!_

There were only two cats, from the smell of it. Somehow, the scents seemed familiar, but she didn't stop to dwell on it. These crowfoot-eaters had trespassed on her territory once too many times. She was going to make them pay.

The scents were approaching her, so she crouched low and circled around into a hawthorn bush, out of sight. She could hear the ShadowClan cats padding past her, murmuring in low voices. _Just a bit closer... now!_

"_Mrr-owr!_" Silentpaw burst from the hawthorn bush, giving a furious yowl as she lunged at the ShadowClan warriors with claws outstretched.

With surprising speed, one of the cats met her attack, bowling into her and throwing the ThunderClan apprentice clear of her Clanmate. Silentpaw kicked out with her hind legs, throwing the warrior off of her. She twisted around onto her paws, ready to strike again, but a familiar mew stopped her. "Please, don't attack, we're just here to talk."

Silentpaw paused. "Specklefoot?" she mewed uncertainly.

Another voice behind Specklefoot spoke. "We're not here to steal prey. We've come to speak to Bramblestar."

The apprentice's eyes widened as she recognized the second voice. It was Olivenose, the deputy. Now, she understood why Specklefoot had been so quick to keep Silentpaw from attacking her Clanmate, and Silentpaw was glad she had. Silentpaw was as eager to defend her territory as any cat, but she was loath to attack any she-cat carrying kits. Olivenose seemed clumsy and heavy from the weight, judging by her paw-steps, and the thick milk and kit-scent she carried suggested she was mere days from giving birth.

But that didn't mean she trusted her. Silentpaw arched her back, standing strong and bold before the ShadowClan cats. "Why should I believe you?" she growled. "ShadowClan has caused nothing but trouble for us these last few moons."

"I know," Olivenose mewed quietly. Silentpaw's eyes widened in shock to ear Olivenose admit her Clan's faults. "But I promise you, Specklefoot and I have stolen no prey since we crossed your border, and we are not here to take your kits. There are still cats of honor in ShadowClan who follow the warrior code." There was something so strong and noble in her tone, even as she grew winded and had to lean on Specklefoot for support. "All we want is to speak to Bramblestar. Can you take us to him?"

Silentpaw wavered, her arched back slowly lowering and her claws sheathing. She didn't know whether to trust these cats. Should she drive them off now and be done with it, or should she take the risk and take them to her camp? As much as she always wanted to help relations between Clans and be compassionate to cats in need, ShadowClan had hurt her Clan far too often in the past moons for her to trust so easily. Compassion battled with distrust in her mind.

As she struggled with what to do next, Specklefoot approached the apprentice, speaking to her in a voice too low for Olivenose to hear. "Silentpaw, I kept your secret," she said in an urgent whisper. "I never told a soul about you helping RiverClan. I trusted that weren't going to harm my Clan, that you weren't lying about why you were in RiverClan. Now please, trust me. Both of our Clans depend on it."

The apprentice hesitated a moment longer, then turned away, beckoning with her tail. "Follow me, I'll take you to him. But don't try anything mouse-brained." She started off, the ShadowClan she-cats trailing behind her. Finishing her warrior assessment was going to have to wait for another day. The apprentice tried not to feel too disappointed. She would still be a warrior in no time.

As they walked, Silentpaw's hackles were fluffed up, her posture tense. She could be making a horrible mistake. But Specklefoot had trusted her, so she had to try and trust her in return. She just hoped she was right.

They managed to make it a good ways into the woods before Silentpaw heard the cat watching them. A cat was in the bushes nearby, observing the apprentice and her entourage. Silentpaw lifted her muzzle, calling out, "Who's there?" Specklefoot and Olivenose stiffened and dropped into crouches, clearly ready for a fight,

There was a pause, then a soft rustling as the cat stepped out into the open. Silentpaw relaxed as she recognized the scent of her mentor. Ivypool had been observing her apprentice for the assessment - and judging by her tensed posture, she hadn't heard the ShadowClan cats assuring her they weren't a threat. "Silentpaw, what's going on here?" Ivypool demanded, her tone cool and collected. "Why are you leading these cats into our territory?"

Silentpaw lowered her head respectfully to her mentor. "I spoke to them, Ivypool," she said in a low voice. "They're not here to hurt us." She knew she could get in major trouble for this, but she also knew she didn't regret her decision. Olivenose was just here to talk – it would be a dishonor of the warrior code to drive her away.

From behind Silentpaw, Olivenose called out to Ivypool, "We're here to speak with Bramblestar. I give you my oath as deputy of ShadowClan, we mean no harm to your Clan."

Ivypool lifted her chin, regarding the ShadowClan cats sternly. "I wonder how much the oath of a ShadowClan cat is worth these days," she growled. "But if your purpose is to speak with our leader, I won't stop you. Come with us."

Olivenose sagged against her Clanmate, murmuring, "Thank you." Silentpaw was surprised how weak the she-cat sounded. Carrying kits, as well as being half-starved and having to help run a divided Clan, really seemed to be taking a lot out of Olivenose.

Ivypool began leading the ShadowClan cats towards the camp. Silentpaw circled around to the back of the ShadowClan cats, holding up the rear and keeping the enemy warriors surrounded in case they tried anything.

Olivenose's slow pace kept the group from going too quickly through the woods. The deputy had to lean on Specklefoot, but she kept going, a determined flick to her tail as they walked along. The young warrior kept murmuring to Olivenose in a low voice, soft and comforting. Silentpaw's ears perked with interest. The she-cats seemed close, and their scents were very similar - could they be kin? It might explain why Olivenose had chosen to bring Specklefoot as her company into enemy territory. ShadowClan was so divided, perhaps the deputy felt she could only trust her kin. The though sent a chill down to the tip of Silentpaw's tail.

Even with the deputy lumbering like a crippled badger, it didn't take the group long to make it to ThunderClan's camp. Friendly mews of greeting as Ivypool pushed through the thorn barrier quickly turned into suspicious growls and snarls when the ShadowClan cats followed her. Silentpaw padded in behind them all, listening warily as her Clanmates growled.

"They're here to speak to Bramblestar," Ivypool called out calmly to her Clanmates. That didn't seem to reassure the ThunderClan warriors much, but, grudgingly, they cleared a path to Bramblestar's den, allowing the ShadowClan cats to pass safely.

Specklefoot crouched low, pelt bristling. Silentpaw could scent faint traces of fear-scent from the young warrior. She seemed ready to have to defend her Clanmate at any moment. But Olivenose kept her pelt smooth, and her head held high. The deputy leaned off of her Clanmate, standing tall and proud before the ThunderClan cats, and began strolling confidently towards the High Ledge.

Olivenose allowed Specklefoot to help her scale the rocks leading up to the High Ledge. Ivypool went ahead of them. When she reached the top, she grabbed Olivenose's scruff in her jaws and hauled her up into the ledge with her. Specklefoot and Silentpaw followed after, padding into the den together.

Bramblestar stood as they entered his den. The huge tom stood stiffly before the enemy cats, his hackles slowly raising, back curved in a small arch. "What's going on here?" he asked in a stiff growl.

Silentpaw approached her leader, head lowered respectfully. "I found these cats in our territory," she told the massive tom. "They said they needed to speak with you."

The leader turned his head towards the apprentice for a moment. Silentpaw almost felt he was studying her, measuring her decision, but all he said in the end was, "Did they?" Bramblestar looked back towards Olivenose, growling, "Very well. You're here now, so speak."

Olivenose hesitates, twitching an ear warily. "I was hoping to speak to you in private," she said evenly.

"Fine. Send away your warrior, and I'll send mine," Bramblestar told her.

Silentpaw took in a sharp breath. If Bramblestar decided to attack, Olivenose and the kits she carried would stand no chance if left alone. She knew her leader would never do anything like that, but Olivenose had no way of being sure. It was no surprise to her when Olivenose hissed, "No. Specklefoot stays." Specklefoot shuffled closer to the deputy, growling softly.

"If your warrior stays, then so do mine," Bramblestar warned.

Olivenose hesitated a moment longer, then shook her head impatiently. "Fine," she snapped. "Have it your way." She sat, slumping onto one haunch, clearly weary from her climb. "I've come to ask you to meet with Tigerstar."

Bramblestar's whiskers twitched in surprise. "Tigerstar wants to meet?" he murmured, something like suspicion tinging his mew. "That's a change. He didn't seem like he wanted to talk it out last time we met."

Specklefoot and Olivenose turned towards each other, deliberating silently, before Olivenose admitted, "This wasn't Tigerstar's idea. It's mine."

"You came here behind Tigerstar's back?" Silentpaw gasped.

Olivenose nodded. "Please, hear me out, Bramblestar," she mewed. "This will be for the benefit of both of our Clans."

Bramblestar seemed surprised, his tense posture loosening. "Alright," he said slowly, "but I'm not sure what you want me to do. If Tigerstar doesn't want to talk, there's not much I can do."

"I understand," Olivenose told him. "But I fear it's the only way left to resolve this without further bloodshed."

"There was only blood shed because your cats were hunting on our territory," Ivypool said sharply. The warrior sat near the entrance of the den, sitting tall and stiff as she watched the ShadowClan cats. "Not to mention you tried to steal kits that Rowanstar gave to us in good faith."

Olivenose stiffened, but gave a slight incline of her head as acknowledgment. "Tigerstar wants to prove himself as a strong leader to ShadowClan," she said carefully. "If he thinks the best way to do that is stealing the kits of our former leader, and challenging Clan leaders at Gatherings, or even attacking the other Clans, then he won't stop until he's come out on top." Silentpaw noticed Olivenose was careful not to give away too much of ShadowClan's troubles, or Tigerstar's plans. "He won't stop, not unless you give him a reason to."

Bramblestar tipped his head. "This all sounds like ShadowClan's problem, not ours," he said coolly.

"It'll be ThunderClan's problem if Shrewfoot convinces all of our Clanmates to follow her instead of Tigerstar," Specklefoot snapped. Olivenose gave a sharp hiss. Specklefoot lowered her head, ears flattened back, muttering a soft, "Sorry. But it's true. They deserve to know."

With a sigh, Olivenose admitted, "Shrewfoot has been preaching to any cat who will listen that Tigerstar is a traitor and a fool, and doesn't deserve to lead ShadowClan. Far too many of our Clanmates side with her already. It Tigerstar keeps focusing more on trying to steal kits the rest of the Clan doesn't want than finding a way to keep us all from starving, Shrewfoot will have enough followers to cast Tigerstar out of ShadowClan with a flick of her tail." Olivenose lifted her head, her tone solemn as she told Bramblestar, "If Shrewfoot becomes leader of ShadowClan, she'll go after any cat in the forest she deems unworthy of living by the warrior code. That means kittypets, loners, halfbloods, and no Clan has more of those than ThunderClan. She'll drive you from the lake."

Silentpaw felt a surge of anger. She'd known for a while that Shrewfoot was prejudiced scum, but the thought that she would drive Silentpaw's Clan from the lake just for taking in cats who needed help or wanted to live by the warrior code sent fury through her veins. She dug her claws into the ground, growling, "Shrewfoot can't be allowed to lead ShadowClan."

Bramblestar stiffened, lifting his chin to swap a glance with Ivypool across the den. When the warrior gave a short nod, he asked Olivenose, "What exactly do you want me to do?"

"Talk to Tigerstar," she said. "Try to make him see reason. Tell him that ThunderClan won't tolerate any further prey theft or attacks, and that the kits will never be his to take. Say that if he doesn't get Shrewfoot under control and stop the prey stealing, that you'll attack."

The leader's tail stiffened in surprise. He almost sounded impressed as he asked, "You want me to threaten your leader? Some cats would call what you're doing here treachery."

"I have to make him see reason," Olivenose snapped. "If this is he only way to do it, so be it. I have to protect my Clan from Shrewfoot. Tigerstar must see that what he is doing is only driving his Clanmates away. Maybe a threat from another Clan's leader will be enough to make him see."

"Make it two Clan leaders." All of the cats in the den turned towards Silentpaw, surprise evident in the flicks of their tails. She lifted her head high, explaining, "Shrewfoot has been stealing from RiverClan too. There's been a lot more fighting with Shrewfoot's cats for RiverClan. Not to mention their leader is halfClan, and it would be just as bad for them if Shrewfoot became ShadowClan's leader. They have just as much reason to try and talk sense into Tigerstar as ThunderClan. Two Clan leaders would be more intimidating than one."

Bramblestar and Ivypool were stiffening in alarm at the suggestion, but Olivenose was nodding slowly, tail-tip twitching thoughtfully. "Do you think she'd agree?" the deputy asked.

Silentpaw hesitated. She couldn't reveal to Olivenose why she could guess Mistystar's mind so well, but she knew she was right. Mistystar was a noble leader. She would much rather talk things out peacefully with ShadowClan than continue to shed blood, if it was an option. "Yes," she told Olivenose calmly. "I believe Mistystar will see the wisdom in trying to talk to Tigerstar instead of further fighting."

Across the den, Specklefoot had her head dipped, thinking in silence. She alone of the ShadowClan cats here knew how close Silentpaw was with RiverClan. The warrior had expressed suspicion of Silentpaw's friendship with RiverClan in the past; Silentpaw could only hope she could look past that today and trust on blind faith.

Finally, the warrior lifted her head and spoke clearly to her deputy. "I think Silentpaw is right." The apprentice tried not to look too surprised. "I think Mistystar will help us, and I think we may need her help."

Olivenose gave a slow nod. "Very well. If Bramblestar agrees, we will seek out Mistystar's help as well.

Bramblestar's tail-tip flicked side to side in a slow, thoughtful motion. He mulled over Olivenose's proposal in silence for a few moments, before saying, "If I go with you to talk to Tigerstar, I risk my safety and the safety of any warriors I bring with me. Tigerstar may well decide to attack us for coming into his camp."

"He won't," Olivenose promised, though her tone didn't sound entirely certain. "He may be a fool at times, but he's a cat of honor. He won't attack leaders who've come to talk."

The massive tom hesitated a moment longer, then sighed. "Very well. Ivypool, Silentpaw, you will go with Olivenose and Specklefoot to RiverClan. I will gather a small patrol and meet you in ShadowClan's territory. We will meet up and go into the camp together."

Olivenose seemed to sag in relief. "Thank you, Bramblestar," she rasped. "Thank you for helping my Clan."

As the cats got ready to depart, Silentpaw approached Specklefoot, murmuring to the ShadowClan warrior. "Thanks for backing me up back there."

"Just don't make me regret it," Specklefoot muttered back, though there was no bite to her tone. She hesitated, then murmured, "I know you helped RiverClan once. I think today, my Clan might need your help."

Silentpaw assured the she-cat, "I'll do everything I can to help ShadowClan. I promise, Specklefoot."

The warrior's voice softened, sounding almost friendly as she said, "I'll hold you to that, squirrel-chaser."

* * *

EDIT: Added a short mention of Silentpaw going to visit Darkbreeze, which I forgot to add earlier.

Eh, not entirely happy with the dialogue here, but ah well. Glad I finally got to this chapter, I've been building up to this for a while.

So we're getting into the final stretch here. We're almost at the end - only five chapters left. I hope you all like the final chapters coming up here.

Also, in case anyone hasn't checked my bio sheets for all the characters (you can find links to them on the allegiances) Silentpaw is right - Olivenose and Specklefoot are indeed kin. Olivenose's sister is Ivytail, Specklefoot's mother. I imagine that Ivytail died when Specklepaw and Twigpaw had only just begun their training, and Olivenose had a large part in raising them after that, so she's very close with them. I don't think the littermates are very close, though.

I will try to post again soon. I've got all the bios done for this book, so I'll just be focusing on writing chapters until this book is done.


	25. Chapter Twenty Three

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Twenty Three

Blazepaw returned from a hunting patrol in time to hear about the ShadowClan cats that had come to speak with Bramblestar. Ambertalon was telling him about it when Olivenose and Specklefoot padded out of Bramblestar's den, climbing slowly down the rocks onto the camp floor below. They were quickly followed by Ivypool and Silentpaw.

The tom muttered a quick, "I have to go," to Ambertalon, and shouldered his way through the crowd to his sister. "Are you mouse-brained?" he hissed in a low voice to her as he padded alongside her. Specklefoot glanced briefly at him, but soon went back to ignoring him, hurrying to follow Ivypool and Olivenose. "I heard you brought ShadowClan cats to our camp. How can you trust them, after everything they've done?"

"Olivenose and Specklefoot have never supported Shrewfoot," Silentpaw muttered back. "Not every cat in ShadowClan is a mouseheart."

"But why bring them here?"

She shook her head. "It's too much to explain right now. We're going to RiverClan."

Blazepaw stiffened in surprise. "What? RiverClan? Why? And why with these ShadowClan cats?"

Silentpaw told him, "Not right now. Please, Blazepaw, just trust me." She paused, an ear flicking as an idea came to her. The apprentice called out to Ivypool, who was leading the ShadowClan cats, "Do you think Blazepaw could come with us? We might need more cats with us to cross other Clan territories."

Ivypool hesitated, then gave a short nod. "If he wants."

The apprentice turned back to her brother, mewing urgently, "Blazepaw, please, all I want to do is help my Clan. Please trust me."

Blazepaw glanced between his sister and the ShadowClan cats, hesitating. All of the doubts he'd ever had about Silentpaw's loyalty flooded over the young tom. Silentpaw was impulsive, naive, stubborn, and often tried to help the other Clans at the expense of her own. She could be making a horrible, horrible mistake trusting these cats.

Then he forced himself to take a breath. Silentpaw had promised him that her first loyalty was to ThunderClan. If they were ever going to repair the relationship between them, he was going to have to trust her. He sighed, dipping his head. "I do," he promised. "I'll follow you, wherever we're going."

Silentpaw's ears drooped slowly in relief. "Thanks," she murmured. She sped up to follow her mentor and the ShadowClan cats, Blazepaw falling into step beside her. They exited the camp through the thorn entrance, setting off briskly into the forest.

They couldn't go terribly fast due to Olivenose's pregnancy, but they managed to keep up a brisk walk as they made their way through the woods. As they traveled, Silentpaw explained everything to Blazepaw. Running into Olivenose and Specklefoot, how they had convinced her to let them see Bramblestar, what they wanted from him, why they were going to Mistystar. Blazepaw listened with growing unease. "You really think Tigerstar will listen to Bramblestar and Mistystar?" he asked dubiously.

Silentpaw was silent for a few moments. There was a somber light in her gray eyes as she mulled over her answer. "I think it's the only chance we have left of averting a full-out war," she finally said. "So we have to try."

A shudder ran down Blazepaw's spine to the tip of his tail. His sister was right – if this didn't work, and Tigerstar continued to allow his warriors to roam free on ThunderClan land, Bramblestar would have no choice but to retaliate with a full-blown attack. Like it or not, this was their last shot at peace.

The group fell into silence once more. As they walked along, Blazepaw studied the ShadowClan she-cats. The two tortoiseshells looked a bit similar – possibly kin – with the younger warrior trailing carefully behind the older deputy to make sure she didn't stumble or lose her footing. Blazepaw was surprised to see Specklefoot cooperating so easily with the ThunderClan cats. The last time he had seen her, she had been highly suspicious of his sister, only grudgingly agreeing not to spill her secret to her Clanmates. Now, she seemed at ease, allowing Silentpaw to lengthen her stride to walk beside her. He wondered a bit at the change, but soon decided to ignore it. Worrying about his sister and her friendships wasn't going to help any cat. What was important right now was to help bring peace to the forest and avoid a war.

Eventually, they reached the WindClan border. Silentpaw had moved to the front of the group and taken the lead at this point. Blazepaw didn't realize why until he recognized where they were. They had come to the strip of land where he had seen her meeting with Darkbreeze. And there, sitting by the border, was the WindClan warrior herself.

Darkbreeze seemed surprised to see so many cats approaching her. She eyed them all warily, but tried to cover up her confusion by rising to her paws, lifting her tail in greeting as she gave a cheerful, "Hi there."

Olivenose and Specklefoot seemed surprised, but Ivypool stiffened, ears slowly flattening against her head and hackles rising. "What are you doing here? Why are you on our border?" She slowly stalked towards the WindClan she-cat, baring her fangs.

The dark tabby she-cat recoiled, looking alarmed. "I was just, erm, looking for herbs. Kestrelflight wanted me to find some borage for the queens, and he said it would grow best in this strip of forest territory best."

Ivypool continued to glare at Darkbreeze, but before she could question her further, Silentpaw shoved between the she-cats, grumbling, "For StarClan's sake." She turned to Ivypool, telling her quickly, "Ivypool, it's fine, Darkbreeze is a friend." Ivypool looked suspicious, but stepped back, her hackles lowering. Silentpaw turned to her WindClan friend. "Darkbreeze, we need to talk to Mistystar. Can you take us to the RiverClan border?"

Darkbreeze hesitated. She seemed to have finally realized that the ThunderClan cats were accompanied by ShadowClan warriors. The warrior seemed entirely baffled by the situation, but after a few moments, she just shook her head, looking dazed. "The hare-brained situations you get yourself into," she said, almost sounding impressed. "Alright, fine, but we're staying within two fox-lengths of the lake. StarClan knows I don't need to get in trouble for leading ThunderClan and ShadowClan through our territory."

"I wouldn't expect you to," Silentpaw said in an amused purr. Ivypool was watching her apprentice's interactions with Darkbreeze warily, but she didn't protest as Darkbreeze and Silentpaw began to lead the patrol into WindClan's territory.

**SCENEBREAK**

Blazepaw made sure to stick closer to his sister as they traveled further into the moor. Silentpaw had memorized every inch of ThunderClan's territory, to the point of being able to race through the woods without tripping over a single shrub or fern, unless some new fallen branch or pile of leaves was in her way. But WindClan's territory was unfamiliar to her. She traveled more slowly here, her steps uncertain, muzzle lifted and ears flicking about to keep scenting and listening to the new environment. Blazepaw stayed beside her, guiding her with careful little nudges. He was surprised, and grateful, to see Darkbreeze also staying conscious of his sister's uncertainty. She was ahead of Silentpaw, her tail  
reaching back and bumping lightly against Silentpaw's shoulder to direct her.

As they walked along, Silentpaw explained a redacted version of their situation to Darkbreeze, keeping out how desperate ShadowClan and ThunderClan were and only explaining that they wanted Mistystar to talk to Tigerstar. Blazepaw listened to the conversation warily, making sure his sister didn't give away too much of ThunderClan's weakness.

With Darkbreeze confidently leading the small group through her moorland home, it didn't take long to reach RiverClan's border. Silentpaw turned to face Darkbreeze, meowing, "Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it." Most of the group had crossed over the border, facing Darkbreeze on her side of the border.

"No problem," Darkbreeze purred in amusement. She took a step towards Silentpaw, her front paws just over the border as she offered, "If you like, I can stay here until you need an escort home?"

"I think we'll be gone too long for that, but thanks for the off-"

Silentpaw was cut off as a blur of fur and claws bowled into her. Blazepaw barely had time to react when he was similarly attacked, a mass of muscle leaping onto him and wrestling him to the ground. He saw a broad brown face looming over him, fangs bared in a vicious snarl. He snarled back, kicking out hard at the soft fur of the warrior's belly. The she-cat was thrown clear, howling in rage.

Blazepaw struggled back to his paws. He could see that the rest of his group had been ambushed as well. Specklefoot's amber eyes were blazing with pure rage, her pelt fluffed up and back arched as she defended her pregnant Clanmate from two warriors. Even Darkbreeze was being attacked by a gray-brown tom and gray she-cat.

Silentpaw was facing her attacker bravely, pelt bristling and lips curled in a snarl, but suddenly she paused. Her gray eyes widened, pelt smoothing out. "Eeltooth?" she mewed uncertainly.

The dark gray tom paused as well. He shook his head, his wild amber gaze slowly focusing. "Silentpaw?" Eeltooth staggered, coming out of the haze of battle. "What are you doing here?"

"Silentpaw!" That came from the gray-brown tom. He and his Clanmates had halted their attack, and had padded over to join Silentpaw and Eeltooth. The tom was glaring at Blazepaw's sister, disdain clear in his amber gaze. "What do you think you're doing? You can't just stroll into our territory whenever you like! And with the ShadowClan deputy, no less." He glared at Olivenose, who stared back with a steady, even stare.

The black she-cat pinned her ears back, snapping, "I'm not. I'm here for a reason. I need to speak with Mistystar."

The tom curled his lip in a sneer. "Typical Silentpaw, always thinking she can go wherever she pleases and be worshiped as a hero. You're not RiverClan, and you're not our friend, so just take your friends here and go back to where you came from."

"Wait, Yarrowleaf," Eeltooth meowed slowly. "We should listen to what Silentpaw has to say."

Yarrowleaf whirled on his Clanmate, snapping, "Keep your mouth shut, Eeltooth! You've always been soft on Silentpaw and her Clanmates. You're nothing but a traitor who'd rather be friends with some blind ThunderClan apprentice than his own Clanmates."

"I'd rather be friends with Silentpaw than a tom who wants to claw cat's ears over every little thing," Eeltooth growled. "But that's not why I'm saying we should trust her. Mistystar would want to hear what she has to say." Blazepaw noticed Olivenose watching the RiverClan cats' interactions with Silentpaw with interest. She was the only cat here who didn't know about Silentpaw's moon in RiverClan, but Blazepaw could tell she knew something was up between his sister and these cats.

"Mistystar's too soft on ThunderClan," Yarrowleaf hissed. "I say we send these cats back to their own territory with their tails between their legs."

Before Eeltooth could retaliate, the brown she-cat who had attacked Blazepaw rolled her eyes, saying, "That's what you always say, Yarrowleaf." The she-cat, whom Blazepaw recognized as she senior warrior Duskfur, shouldered her way between Yarrowleaf and Silentpaw, growling, "There's no need to fight over this. We'll take them to Mistystar. She can decide what to do with them."

"Wait, me too?" Darkbreeze meowed in alarm. "I was just here to escort them through my territory."

Duskfur glanced back at her, saying bluntly, "You were over our scent markers. You're trespassing too. We're taking all of you, and that's the end of it." She flicked her tail, ordering her warriors, "Let's go." Yarrowleaf glared after the she-cat, but after a moment, dipped his head in respect. He and his Clanmates surrounded the enemy warriors, beginning to lead them into RiverClan's territory.

As they were lead by their RiverClan captors, Silentpaw fell into step beside Darkbreeze. "Sorry about dragging you into all of this," she mewed apologetically.

Darkbreeze shook her head. "Nah, it's my own fault. I shouldn't have stepped over the scent marks. That was so hare-brained." She nudged Silentpaw's shoulder in a friendly way, adding, "And maybe it's time I got dragged into one of your crazy adventures. Getting RiverClan and ThunderClan's leaders to talk to the leader of ShadowClan. Should be fun."

Silentpaw purred in amusement, then left Darkbreeze behind, coming up to walk beside Duskfur. Blazepaw noticed how comfortable she seemed walking with these cats, and in this territory. "How's Lakepaw?" Silentpaw asked.

The brown she-cat seemed friendlier as she regarded Silentpaw now. She told the apprentice, "Lakepaw's doing well. He's becoming a great fisher, but he'll still chase down a squirrel or two every now and then. He'll be glad to see you when we get to camp."

"It'll be nice to see him again too," Silentpaw said. "He's certainly grown from the little kitten I remember meeting. He'll make a fantastic warrior some day." Duskfur said nothing, only putting in response.

They finally reached RiverClan's camp. Blazepaw's eyes widened as they neared the strip of land that RiverClan used as their camp, divided by two streams. "We have to swim to reach your camp?" he mewed uncertainly.

From the back of the group, Yarrowleaf snorted. "Scared of a little water, squirrel-chaser?" he taunted

Silentpaw glared sightlessly at the RiverClan tom. "And when's the last time you climbed a tree, fishface?" she asked pointedly. Yarrowleaf just growled low in reply.

Duskfur approached Olivenose, speaking to her in a low voice. Blazepaw could tell Olivenose was nervous, but her eyes took on a steely light, and she gave a firm nod. The ShadowClan deputy allowed Duskfur to lead her into the stream. Olivenose was slow and clumsy in the water, but Duskfur stayed beside her, leading her to the other side with strong, sure strokes.

The gray she-cat, Leafdrift, led Specklefoot across, but Silentpaw waved off Eeltooth's attempt to accompany her. Without an ounce of hesitation, she strode right into the water, not slowing or wavering until she had reached the other side. Yarrowleaf went next, and then it was just Eeltooth and Blazepaw.

Eeltooth's amber eyes were friendly. "Come on, I'll help you across," he offered.

Blazepaw regarded the dark gray warrior carefully. He had always been wary of the RiverClan tom's friendship with his sister. But he knew now that if Silentpaw was friends with this tom, she had a good reason. She would only make friends with a cat across the borders if she deemed them truly worthy of it. Blazepaw could remember the tom helping him across the lake once, just like now, back when he was the young Eelpaw.

He gave the tom a friendly flick of his tail, tipping his head and mewing, "Works for me."

Eeltooth gave a short nod. Together, the two toms waded out into the stream. Blazepaw nearly jumped in shock as the ice-cold water swept over his pelt. The leafbare air was cold enough, but the water was freezing. Blazepaw couldn't control his shivering as they crossed the stream, and it didn't stop even when he finally reached the other side. Silentpaw padded over to him, sniffing his pelt. To his annoyance, her sleek pelt seemed to have deflected most of the water, almost like a RiverClan cat's. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"Fine," he muttered, trying to keep his teeth from chattering. His pelt clung to him uncomfortably, making his whole body feel like ice.

As his trembling began to subside, Blazepaw noticed they had made it to the camp. Cats were milling around, sharing prey or talking, but they had all looked up when the group arrived.

"Silentpaw!" Two small blurs bounded towards his sister. A young, fluffy white she-cat and fluffy gray tom rubbed against her, purring. "It's great to see you again."

His sister nearly staggered from the enthusiastic greeting of the young RiverClan cats. "Swankit? Slushkit? Wow, you two have really grown!"

"Swanpaw and Slushpaw," the white she-cat corrected, looking up at Silentpaw with wide, golden eyes.

Slushpaw added, ice-blue eyes shining with excitement, "We're apprentices now! We started our training three days ago."  
T  
Silentpaw purred, "Congratulations!" Other RiverClan cats were coming to greet Silentpaw, calling to her in friendly voices.

"Hey Silentpaw!"  
"How's the prey running?"  
"What are you doing here?"

Pondbreeze, Robinwing, Lakepaw, other cats Blazepaw didn't recognize. So much of RiverClan seemed ready to greet his sister, friendly even with the tensions between RiverClan and ShadowClan. Blazepaw watched, wary at first, but soon growing calmer. He trusted his sister. Specklefoot was watching the interactions warily, and Olivenose seemed entirely baffled, her green eyes wide with bemusement.

Silentpaw backed up, looking a little overwhelmed by all the cats surrounding her. "It's great see you all," she said, "But I need to talk to Mistystar."

"She's in her den," Lakepaw told her. "What's going on?"

"Sorry, it's just for Mistystar to hear," Silentpaw apologized. She turned back towards her group, flicking her tail thoughtfully. "Blazepaw, Olivenose, I think the three of us should be enough. We don't need to crowd her den with every cat. Eeltooth, could you come with us."

"No problem," the tom agreed easily. Blazepaw was surprised to see how easily the cats who had captured them allowing Silentpaw to dictate how this meeting was to be run. Now that they were in the camp, however, the whole atmosphere seemed far less tense. These were Silentpaw's friends, and even if they weren't as happy to see her as Swanpaw and Slushpaw, they seemed to trust her on some level.

The tom led them towards a willow towards the edge of camp. The tangled roots revealed the entrance to a den. Eeltooth ducked below one of the roots, slipping into a den within. Silentpaw, Olivenose, and Blazepaw followed him in.

Mistystar was sitting on a nest of moss and feathers, talking to her deputy, Reedwhisker. Both cats looked up as the four cats entered her den. "Silentpaw?" Mistystar meowed, surprise gleaming in her ice-blue eyes. "What are you doing here?" Her gaze narrowed as she noticed Olivenose, tone becoming brisk as she added, "And the ShadowClan deputy. I expect there's a good reason you're in my camp?" Reedwhisker stiffened, shifting protectively in front of his mother by a hair.

"Mistystar, I brought Olivenose here because she has something to ask you," Silentpaw told the RiverClan leader seriously. She lowered her head to Mistystar in the deepest respect. "I promise you, I wouldn't have done this if I didn't trust that it was the right thing to do."

The blue-gray she-cat regarded the blind apprentice a few moments. Her expression remained carefully controlled, until she finally mewed, "I've trusted your judgment in the past. What is it you want, Olivenose?"

Olivenose dipped her head respectfully to the RiverClan leader. "It is a most urgent matter, Mistystar." Quickly, she explained about Tigerstar, and how she wished Mistystar and Bramblestar to speak with him, and why. "Bramblestar has already agreed to speak with him," Olivenose told the elderly she-cat. "Will you come with us as well?"

Mistystar had listened to Olivenose with a dark, solemn expression. When she finished her request, she turned to Reedwhisker. "What do you think?" she asked her son.

The RiverClan deputy looked thoughtful. "I would certainly rather solve this peacefully, if that's possible," Reedwhisker mused. "But it's hard to trust ShadowClan, after everything."

To Blazepaw's surprise, Mistystar turned next to Silentpaw. "And what about you? Do you truly believe we can trust ShadowClan?"

Silentpaw tipped her head, gray eyes gleaming with thought. "I think so," she said finally. "I think there's a chance for peace, and we have to take it."

Mistystar nodded slowly. "I believe you might be right. As little as I trust Tigerstar and his warriors right now, a talk like this may be exactly what's needed." The elderly leader stood, her wiry pelt, speckled white with age, fluffing out against the cold. "Reedwhisker, round up a patrol. We're going to ShadowClan."

**SCENEBREAK**

Leafdrift, Pondbreeze, Eeltooth, and Mistystar accompanied the steadily growing group to ShadowClan's territory. Darkbreeze tagged along as well, saying since her Clanmates would already have she was gone and be looking for her, she might as well see this through to the end.

They met Bramblestar by a tall pine deep into ShadowClan's woods, where they had arranged to meet before leaving ThunderClan. Bumblestripe accompanied the leader, sitting uncomfortably on the pine needle-riddled ground of the pine forest. Both toms looked up at the approach of the group. Bramblestar's expression softened into relief. "Mistystar. So you came."

Mistystar flicked her tail in greeting. "Let's settle this mess before it gets any worse," she mewed grimly.

Blazepaw was starting to feel cautiously optimistic about all of this. Mistystar had agreed to come, just as Silentpaw had predicted, and now two Clan leaders and two strong patrols were going to stroll into ShadowClan's camp and intimidate Tigerstar into ending Shrewfoot's prey theft. As long as nothing unexpected happened, everything was going to be better after this.

Before they could depart for the camp, Silentpaw stiffened. Her ears were twitching this way and that, swiveling around to try and capture some far-off sound. Blazepaw watched, wary of her solemn expression. "What is it?" Silentpaw had the best hearing in ThunderClan – she must be hearing something that the rest of the group couldn't catch.

She froze, going utterly still. "Yowling. I can hear cats fighting."

Blazepaw strained his ears, trying to find the sound Silentpaw had heard. When he concentrated, he could just barely hear distant yowling. Olivenose stiffened. She took a few steps forward, ears perked, before she froze in shock. "It's coming from the camp!" she yowled.

* * *

Okay wow, this is a long one. XD

Anyway, here's the newest chapter. Not totally happy with it, but meh.

I probably had something else I wanted to say on this chapter, but I completely forgot what it was. Ah well.

Next chapter is in Silentpaw's POV. Only four chapters left.


	26. Chapter Twenty Four

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Twenty Four

Olivenose took off like a flash, any discomfort instantly forgotten in the face of this danger to her Clan. Specklefoot was right on her heels, the RiverClan and ThunderClan cats thundering after them. Silentpaw fell right into step beside Darkbreeze and Eeltooth, claws extended and hackles raised as they hurled themselves side by side through the pine forest.

They reached the camp very soon after, coming to the crest of the ridge overlooking the camp. Silentpaw's ears were ringing from the sheer onslaught of sound. This wasn't a little skirmish with the yowling of a few cats. The entire camp was alive with the screeching and screaming of fighting cats, the thumping of bodies, the yowls of pain. She could barely make out anything through the cacophany of noise.

Beside her, Ivypool gasped, "It's Shrewfoot! Her supporters are attacking Tigerstar's cats!"

Silentpaw stiffened. This was it. The final act of treachery that Shrewfoot had been building up to all this time. She crouched low, snarling, "We can't let her! We have to help Tigerstar!"

Ivypool and Bumblestripe muttered in agreement, and Bramblestar was nodding slowly. But Mistystar was oddly still, something strange in the slow wave of her tail. "Mistystar?" Silentpaw asked cautiously.

"Why should we help Tigerstar?" Her voice was no higher than a low murmur. There was something far too even in her tone, far too chilled. "After everything he's done. He's a terrible leader, we all know it. Why shouldn't Shrewfoot make any better a leader?"

A chill ran through Silentpaw's blood. She shouldered her way past Blazepaw, coming to stand before Mistystar. "Because Tigerstar's a fool, but Shrewfoot's a monster," she told the RiverClan she-cat urgently. "If she becomes leader of ShadowClan, she'll hunt down you, me, every cat in the Clans who has impure Clan blood. She would rather live in a Clan with no cats than a Clan with divided blood. You saw yourself what happened last time a leader like that took over." Silentpaw hated to remind Mistystar of the horrors she had been subjected to when Tigerstar's namesake had held her prisoner, but she had to understand the gravity of the situation. "Remember Stonefur. You can't let a cat like that ever gain power again." Mistystar froze, a growl rumbling in her throat at the mention of her brother.

"Mistystar, please, I'm begging you," Olivenose gasped, trembling. Thick fear-scent was coming off her in waves – not, Silentpaw guessed, for herself, but for her Clan. "I can't let my Clan be destroyed by Shrewfoot. She would lead my Clan to ruin."

The RiverClan leader was silent. After a few moments, she turned towards Bramblestar. The two communicated silently for a moment before both leaders nodded. "If that is truly the sort of leader Shrewfoot would make, I will lay down my lives before I see her take over ShadowClan," Mistystar growled firmly.

Bramblestar crouched at the edge of the ridge. He drew himself up to his full height, and roared, "ThunderClan, attack!"

"RiverClan, attack!" Mistystar yowled, echoing Bramblestar's cry. The warriors of both Clans followed their leaders as they raced down into the hollow of ShadowClan's camp. Silentpaw thundered into the hollow beside her Clanmates, her blood racing with the thrill of the coming battle.

Darkbreeze followed after them, screeching, "For WindClan!" She fell in beside Silentpaw, panting as they ran, "Let's show that pure Clan snob what the other Clans think of her!" Blazepaw raced on Silentpaw's other side, her brother matching her step for step.

Bramblestar and Mistystar's cats fell upon the fighting ShadowClan cats with vicious shrieks. Silentpaw threw herself at the nearest ShadowClan warrior she could find. Her nostrils were flooded with the stench of Smokefoot. He whirled around, abandoning the warrior he had been attacking, spinning around and striking out with one paw at her shoulder. She side-stepped the blow, ducking low and biting hard on his fore-leg, yanking back hard to unbalance him. He slid clumsily onto one side; she tried to pin him down, but he scrambled out of the way in time, throwing himself at her and pinning her to the ground with his weight. Silentpaw managed to bite down hard on his shoulder before he could right himself, hooking her claws into his pelt to hold him down

The older cat wriggled free, enough to let Silentpaw slip out from under his weight. As she lunged at him again, Blazepaw emerged from the battle, joining her in her attack. The brother and sister fought as one, weaving and ducking around the ShadowClan tom, distracting him enough for the other to land blows. Silentpaw butted her head hard against his shoulder as Blazepaw swiped hard at his flank. Smokefoot whirled to face Blazepaw. The apprentice whipped to the side, letting Smokefoot's jaws snap down on open air. Silentpaw punished that wasted attack by swiping a hind leg out from under him. As Smokefoot stumbled, Blazepaw struck out hard at his head with one paw. The flurry of attacks from two cats was too much from Smokefoot. He reared back, whirling around to flee from the littermates.

Blazepaw was panting from their fight, but he managed a quick, "You alright?"

"Yeah," she replied.

"I'm gonna go help Ivypool and Bumblestripe," the tom explained quickly. He gave a flick of his tail before bounding off back into the battle.

Silentpaw hesitated, unsure who to attack next. With the sheer number of cats in the clearing, all stinking of ShadowClan, it was hard to tell who was on her side and who wasn't. Which of the cats who had sworn their loyalty to ShadowClan had turned traitor to fight for Shrewfoot? She knew some of Shrewfoot's supporters from Gatherings and stealing prey, but that was about it.

Before Silentpaw could ponder it further, she was tackled to the ground. Snowbird stood over her, snarling in rage. "Get out! This isn't ThunderClan's fight!" the she-cat hissed.

"You made it our fight," Silentpaw spat back. She struck out with one paw, feeling a rush of satisfaction as it connected hard with Snowbird's jaw. The she-cat shrieked in pain, but managed to hold Silentpaw down, pressing one paw down hard on her hind leg, where the warrior had bitten her days ago. Searing pain blazed through the half-healed wound.

Blinded by pain, Silentpaw kicked out hard with her hind paws. She had no idea what she'd hit, but the hard slap of her paws against flesh and "Oof" of pain from Snowbird brought a jolt of satisfaction to the apprentice. Silentpaw kicked again, managing to throw Snowbird clear that time. To Silentpaw's horror, the warrior wasn't weak and bone-thin like her Clanmates. She was stronger and better-fed than most of Silentpaw's Clanmate in leafbare. With a jolt of disgust, she realized that Shrewfoot had not been stealing ThunderClan and RiverClan's prey just because of the mixed blood in those Clans. She had been hoarding stolen prey to keep her supporters stronger than the rest of their Clanmates in the case of an insurrection.

As the warrior landed hard a fox-length away, Silentpaw scrambled to her paws. Snowbird was still winded, so she pelted away, ducking through the fighting cats. The screeching and sheer number of scents kept her from being able to tell how her Clanmates were doing. She thought she recognized Ivypool's yowl across the clearing, and Darkbreeze raced past her, chasing Pinenose away from a den, but the rest were lost in the thunderous racket of the battle.

The apprentice tried to weave through the battling cats. She wanted to check on Tigerstar – the battle itself was no doubt only a distraction to keep Tigerstar's warriors from defending him. Shrewfoot would go straight for Tigerstar; if she killed him, or drove him away, it would all be over. Olivenose was next in line, and Silentpaw doubted the pregnant she-cat would be be able to beat the younger, stronger Shrewfoot.

"Silentpaw!" The blind she-cat whirled around, ready to face an attacker, only to recognize the call of Olivenose. She bounded over to the she-cat.

Olivenose was facing Treeshadow, crouching low and snarling in warning. Every time Treeshadow tried to throw the pregnant she-cat off balance, Olivenose danced out of reach, swatting at Treeshadow with long, hooked claws. "Silentpaw, go check on the elders," Olivenose ordered. Her claws scored across Treeshadow's nose, making the young warrior shriek. "I heard yowling in there, and I want to know that they're alright."

"What about you?" Silentpaw asked uncertainly. As well as Olivenose was faring, she hardly wanted to leave the heavily pregnant she-cat to fight alone. "And Tigerstar? I was about to check on him."

"I'll check on Tigerstar," Olivenose growled, ducking to avoid Treeshadow's claws. "And I can handle myself. Go!" Olivenose managed to shove Treeshadow off-balance, giving her flank a fierce bite that sent the young warrior running. Once Treeshadow had fled, Olivenose took off for the leader's den. Silentpaw only hesitated a moment longer before turning and bounding off.

She had to do a bit of scenting before finding the elder's den. There was a dreadful snarling from within; horror washed over the apprentice as she realized one of the elders had turned on his own.

Silentpaw burst through the bramble entrance of the den, snarling. Inside, she heard Crowfrost pinning Ratscar to the ground, wrestling with the young, crippled elder to keep him pinned to the ground. Toadfoot was across the den, lying on his side, and breathing in short, choked gasps. Silentpaw could only help the elderly tom hadn't been injured too badly.

The apprentice hurled herself across the den, knocking Crowfrost off of Ratscar. Crowfrost shrieked, twisting and writhing to try and free himself. The skinny tom was no match for the stronger Silentpaw; she tried not to feel too bad for fighting a weak elder. Crowfrost had betrayed his Clanmates, and was not worthy of the respect that the warrior code demanded young cats afford to their elders.

As old as he was, Crowfrost managed to put up a decent fight. He couldn't dislodge Silentpaw's greater weight, but he wriggled enough to make holding him down a challenge, and his claws struck wildly against Silentpaw's pelt again and again.

He nearly broke free, but she bit down on his shoulder, slamming him hard back to the ground. She dug her fangs in, deeper and deeper, feeling the elder's struggles grow weaker and weaker. Crowfrost spat curses at her, but his wounded shoulder meant he no longer had the strength to fight her.

Suddenly, a new weight joined her in pinning down Crowfrost. Ratscar had recovered enough to join Silentpaw and hold his denmate to the ground. "I've got Crowfrost," the young cat told Silentpaw. "I can handle him. Go check on Toadfoot."

The apprentice dipped her head respectfully, then trotted off, leaving Ratscar to keep Crowfrost pinned down. She approached Toadfoot, sniffing cautiously at the elderly tom's pelt. For a moment, she was afraid the tom had perished. But a rough, rasping cough assured her that Toadfoot still lived.

"Toadfoot?" she mewed quietly. She crouched beside the elder, nosing carefully at his pelt to try and find where he was injured.

With a groan, the old tom lifted his head. "I'm fine, young cat," he wheezed, "Just winded, mostly. Crowfrost hit me hard from behind, I never even saw it coming." He tried to rise to his paws, but when he shifted one of his hind legs, he fell back to the ground with a yelp. "Frog dung!" he spat. "Crowfrost knew I have a stiff hip. He hit me right where it hurt." Toadfoot sat up as best he could, stretching out his stiff hind leg and starting to groom it with swift licks.

Silentpaw's relief was broken by a sudden yowl from outside the den. The apprentice stiffened. "Eeltooth!" She turned back towards the other elders, hesitating. "You're sure you're alright?" she asked Toadfoot.

"I'm fine, leave me be," the tom muttered.

From across the den, Ratscar added, "I can handle Crowfrost, and once Toadfoot rests a bit, he can help me hold him down. We'll be alright. Go help my Clanmates."

Silentpaw gave a quick dip of her head in acknowledgment before fleeing the den. Her heart pounded, both with the thrill of battle, and fear for her friends. She wove through the battling cats, finally finding the tom she'd been seeking. He was wrestling with a tom Silentpaw didn't know. Before the apprentice could reach him, Specklefoot came out of nowhere, slamming into the tom and knocking him away from Eeltooth. Darkbreeze joined her, crouching low and daring any cat to attack Eeltooth as he struggled back onto his paws. As the tom fled, Silentpaw joined her friends, sniffing carefully at Eeltooth. "Are you alright?" she asked.

The RiverClan tom shook his head head, batting her muzzle away impatiently. "I'm fine, it's just my leg," he hissed through clenched jaws. "I'll be fine."

Two ShadowClan warriors attacked the group, hurling himself at them. The four cats instantly readied themselves for battle. Darkbreeze and Eeltooth ganged up on one cat, batting him between the two of them like a piece of prey, even as he tried to land blows. Specklefoot met the second warrior as she leaped at them, her forelegs wrapping around the she-cats torso as she bit down on her shoulder. Silentpaw grabbed onto the enemy warrior's tail, yanking hard. The she-cat fell, allowing Specklefoot to pin her down and deliver a series of bites to her back and shoulders. Silentpaw hooked her claws into the she-cats flanks until she tore free, fleeing across the clearing.

Specklefoot growled, lashing her tail. "They're running!" she hissed gleefully. "Shrewfoot's cats are fleeing. They weren't expecting to fight so many cats."

Silentpaw paused a moment, listening carefully. She realized Specklefoot was right. The yowls were far fewer now, and she could still hear the pounding of cats fleeing the camp. The apprentice felt a blaze of joy. The traitors were fleeing, and Tigerstar's cats were winning this battle. ShadowClan would soon be saved from Shrewfoot.

A pure shriek of agony sounded from across the clearing. Silentpaw's heart seemed to freeze. With horrible clarity, she recognized the cry. "Mistystar!"

The apprentice flew across the clearing, her paws barely touching the ground as she raced to the leader's side. Mistystar was lying on the ground, bleeding out onto the pine-needle floor of the camp. The leader was ominously still, motionless, her cry cut off. Silentpaw finally reached her, panting and trembling as she stood over her. She hardly noticed that Eeltooth had followed her, and was standing beside her. "Mistystar?" Silentpaw mewed, her voice trembling and small.

There was no response. The elderly she-cat was still as death, utterly silent. Silentpaw crouched beside her still form. She reached out, trembling, and nosed Mistystar's pelt. The leader's fur was cold to the touch. With utter horror, Silentpaw realized Mistystar was dead.

"Silentpaw, it's alright," Eeltooth murmured. He had crouched beside her. Now that he'd gotten over his own shock at his kin's death, he was trying to comfort Silentpaw, touching his nose to her cheek. "Mistystar's only losing a life. She'll be okay."

Silentpaw barely heard him. She laid her chin over Mistystar's back, trying to keep from trembling. In her time in RiverClan, she had come to greatly respect RiverClan's noble leader, and care for her. Feeling her now, cold and motionless as death, made the apprentice more afraid than she remembered ever feeling.

The sound of nearby pawsteps jolted Silentpaw out of her haze of grief. In a blind rage, she leaped to her paws, meeting the newcomer with furious claws. "_Leave her alone!_" The enemy hastily retreated, but Silentpaw stayed crouched over Mistystar, every hair on her pelt standing, lips curled back in a vicious snarl. Eeltooth was beside her, tail lashing as he crouched protectively by his kin.

Any cat who approached the RiverClan leader was met with claws. Silentpaw could hardly tell one cat from another anymore. It wasn't until a gentle paw, free of claws, reached for hers that she broke out of her violent haze. "Silentpaw," a gentle voice murmured.

"Twigclaw?" the apprentice mewed uncertainly. She staggered, trying to clear her head of the pure rage that had overwhelmed her.

The medicine cat approached the fallen leader. Silentpaw stiffened, but Twigclaw didn't waver, only mewing, "I'm here to help, I promise." She hesitated, then reluctantly let him past.

Twigclaw sniffed the leader's pelt carefully. "She's losing a life," he confirmed. "Don't worry, she still has plenty left."

Relief nearly made Silentpaw's legs buckle from under her. She shook her head to clear it, a joyful purr rumbling deep in her chest. "Thank you," she told Twigclaw. "Can you help her?"

He shook his head, replying, "Only StarClan can help her now. When she awakes, she will need rest, but she will be healed."

"So she'll still be weak from dying?" At Twigclaw's nod, Silentpaw decided firmly, "Then I'll stay to guard her. The battle's dying down anyway."

"I will too," Eeltooth growled. He lowered himself to the ground, curling up beside his leader.

Twigclaw dipped his head. "Very well. She will need protection as she visits with StarClan. I must go and see to other injuries." The small tom disappeared into the battle once more.

Silentpaw let out a slow breath. On stiff legs, she returned to Mistystar, crouching beside her in a ready battle stance. For now, she would stay and guard the she-cat who would have accepted her as a Clanmate. After Mistystar awoke, it was time to bring Shrewfoot to justice, once and for all.

* * *

Here's part one of the battle! I hoped it lived up to whatever you were hoping for. I'm not entirely happy with it myself, but I got in all the points I wanted to.

Not much to say here, other than next chapter is in Blazepaw's POV, and there's only three chapters left.


	27. Chapter Twenty Five

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Twenty Five

Blazepaw swatted Pinenose away from Pondbreeze, snarling viciously at the queen. The black she-cat's pelt was already criss-crossed with the marks of the day's battle, and she was staggering, as if disoriented. It only took a quick nip on the shoulder to send her fleeing the camp, scurrying up the ridge and out of the hollow.

"Thanks," Pondbreeze panted behind him. The brown tom bore a nasty bite wound on his side, but he didn't seem too weakened by it. "One more traitor down."

The apprentice nodded wearily in agreement. When they'd first arrived, the camp had been alive with cats writhing and wrestling in battle. Now, only a few of Shrewfoot's supporters dotted the camp, bravely facing the overwhelming opponents against them. One by one, the few remaining cats fled the camp. Blazepaw saw Stoneclaw racing away from camp as Leafdrift and Bramblestar tore after him, and Crowfrost broke free from the elder's den and flew out of camp, Ivypool and Bumblestripe giving him a few good swipes before he got away.

Slowly, a cheer broke out as the last of Shrewfoot's cats disappeared into the pine forest. "The traitors are running!" New energy surged through Tigerstar's allies at this call. A wave of ShadowClan warriors surged towards their treacherous kin, driving them out into the pines.

Blazepaw watched with fierce joy, only for it to pale into worry. He realized now that he hadn't seen Shrewfoot the whole battle. Where had the leader of this uprising gotten herself to?

His question was answered a few moments later. With a shriek, Shrewfoot burst from the brambles of Tigerstar's den. The traitor sported many gashes and slices on her thin gray pelt. Right on her heels were Tigerstar and Olivenose, chasing her from their den with hate blazing in their eyes. The mates snapped at Shrewfoot's flanks, splitting up to circle around her, racing at her from either side.

Shrewfoot tried to flee, but the rest of ShadowClan surrounded her, blocking her path. Blazepaw and Pondbreeze rushed into join them, helping ShadowClan and their own Clanmates to trap Shrewfoot. The warriors of ShadowClan moved in on her, slow and threatening, their eyes glowing with pure hatred. Shrewfoot slowed to a halt. She slowly glanced around the hollow, searching for a friendly face, anyone, any cat who would spare her a bit of mercy. But every cat that faced her wore an expression of pure loathing. This was the cat who had attacked and betrayed them all, and would have torn their Clan apart. They had nothing but hatred for her now.

Tigerstar strode up to Shrewfoot, every muscle stiff with fury. The ShadowClan leader was heavily wounded on one side, and one ear was badly torn – had he lost a life? Blazepaw could tell whatever wounds he'd sustained were still paining him. But there was no weakness in his growl as he demanded, "Why, Shrewfoot? Why did you betray us like this?"

A wild light shone in Shrewfoot's eyes. "I didn't betray ShadowClan," she sneered, head titled in an unsettling manner. The warrior seemed utterly desperate now, almost unhinged, since the realization that her Clan hated her. "I betrayed _you_, Tigerstar! I betrayed a traitor, a halfClan fool who couldn't lead a rabbit out of its den. I betrayed _filth!_" The pure venom in her tone sent a shiver through Blazepaw.

The massive tabby drew himself up proudly. "I am the rightful ruler of ShadowClan," he growled. "How dare you speak to me this way?"

"You have a right to nothing," Shrewfoot spat. "You shouldn't even exist. That foxheart of a she-cat should have never joined ShadowClan. Tawnypelt never deserved to be one of us. I always knew she was soft on those ThunderClan fools she called kin. But Rowanstar was a fool, and he had filthy, mix-breed kits with her. You and Dawnpelt, you don't belong here, you never have."

She swung her head around, appealing desperately to her Clanmates as she yowled, "ShadowClan used to be great! We were the strongest cats in the forest, every cat feared us, and they were right to fear us. We were as mighty as TigerClan! But then filth like Tawnypelt and her brood were allowed to join us, they poisoned us, contaminated us with filthy blood. We can be great again, I can make us great, I can lead the way!"

Her pleading eyes stared out into the clearing, begging her Clanmates to understand. But there was no mercy for her there. Applefur stepped out of the crowd, growling, "No, Shrewfoot. You're the one who doesn't belong."

"You're the filth," Dawnpelt added in a vicious snarl.

Tigerstar silenced his supporters with a wave of his tail. He stalked towards Shrewfoot, looming over her with a dark expression. "Shrewfoot, you have betrayed your Clan. You attacked your Clanmates, whom you swore to protect, in cold blood, and you defied the warrior code, which you swore to serve. What do you have to say in your defense?"

Shrewfoot spat, hatred blazing in her golden eyes. "I say if ShadowClan can't see why I did what I did, then they're fools, all of them. Fools and traitors. I will never live in a ShadowClan that you lead."

"Very well." Tigerstar's amber gaze narrowed. "Since you show no remorse for this blatant treachery, I have no choice." He lifted his chin, growling, "Shrewfoot, I banish you from ShadowClan. You, and all the cats who would rather follow a rouge traitor than return here, must leave this territory by sundown. If you and yours are seen here after that time, my Clanmates have my permission to kill you."

The she-cat's expression wavered, only for a moment. Then it hardened into an expression of pure steel. "Fine," she spat in a voice like ice. "Kill me, if you can. ShadowClan is not the Clan I once knew." Shrewfoot glared out at the ShadowClan cats around her, her glare settling on each and every cat in turn. Blazepaw froze as her gaze flew to him, only relaxing again when she finally looked away. "You're all fools for following that tom. I'll make you pay for this, all of you."

Shrewfoot drew herself up proudly, then turned away from Tigerstar and began to head for the camp's entrance. Still glaring their hate at her, Shrewfoot's former Clanmates parted to let her pass. She strode, slow and deliberate, to the camp's entrance, padding up the ridge and disappearing into the pine forest beyond.

Blazepaw let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Finally, the threat that had been looming over all four Clans was gone. But as Tigerstar shifted, shaking his head slowly, Blazepaw remembered that the threat wasn't gone yet, not entirely.

Tigerstar seemed to deflate once Shrewfoot had gone. He staggered, all the righteous anger fading away, leaving him lost and confused. The dark tabby blinked a few times, staring slowly around the clearing. His gaze grew more confused as he spotted Bramblestar. "ThunderClan is here," he murmured. "And RiverClan." He glanced over at Blazepaw, and Pondbreeze next to him. Now that things were calmed down, Blazepaw could recognize more cats in the crowd. Ivypool and Bumblestripe were closer to the entrance, licking their wounds, while Bramblestar was close to Tigerstar, Darkbreeze and Specklefoot also nearby. Leafdrift was near the nursery, poking her head inside curiously, Applefur beside her.

He could also see his sister and Eeltooth, supporting Mistystar as she limped toward the crowd. The RiverClan leader looked completely exhausted. She leaned heavily against Silentpaw, and her eyes" were barely open. Blazepaw instantly realized she had lost a life. Silentpaw was murmuring to the leader in a low voice, almost soothing in tone.

Bramblestar's voice brought Blazepaw's attention back to the leaders. "Yes. We came to talk with you," the ThunderClan leader said carefully.

Something in Tigerstar's expression seemed to harden. "Why?" he asked in a sharper tone. He still seemed dazed, but he was starting to come back to himself.

"Because I asked them to." Tigerstar stiffened in shock at Olivenose's voice. The deputy stood a few fox-lengths away, panting and shaking from her wounds, but she still stood strong and proud before Tigerstar. Olivenose approached Tigerstar, head held high, even as she bled heavily from one shoulder.

Tigerstar stared at his mate in utter shock. "You... asked them? Why?"

Some fierce light suddenly blazed in Olivenose's eyes. "Because you left me no choice!" the she-cat practically yowled. She thrust her muzzle in Tigerstar's face, her lips curled back in a snarl. Her entire pelt stood on end – she was smaller than the massive ShadowClan leader, but in that moment, every inch of her seemed utterly deadly.

"You still don't get it, do you?" she snarled. "Shrewfoot's a traitor, but she has a point. You have no idea how to lead this Clan. Instead of figuring out how to expand our hunting grounds to get through leafbare with enough to eat, you focus on kits you can't get. You do everything in your power to make the other Clans hate you, you barely pay any attention to your Clan, your warriors were hoarding prey and planning mutiny right under your nose and you never suspected a thing. When was the last time you even watched an apprentice's training session, or went on a patrol? You're always off on your own, trying to find ways to steal those kits, or trying to catch the most prey on your own to impress everyone."

She thrust her chin up, her intense green glare right in Tigerstar's face. "You need to be _here_. ShadowClan needs a leader who won't use the power of leadership to do whatever he wants."

Tigerstar took a half-step back, amber eyes wide as he stammered, "I, I don't do anything I..."

"You didn't make me deputy because you thought I was the best cat for the job," Olivenose snapped. "I was your mate, I'd never even had an apprentice for StarClan's sake. You broke the warrior code when you made me deputy. You did it because I'm your mate, and you wanted to please me. You do what you think will impress your Clanmates, but you don't think about what's actually best for them." She pressed her head hard against his neck, rubbing against him. "I love you, Tigerstar. StarClan knows how much I love you. But you're not a kit anymore. You're a leader now, and you need to take some responsibility. You can't just do your own thing. You have to be here every moment for your Clan, you have to work together with them, you have to listen to their worries, their fears, you have to be ready to lie down every one of your lives for them at a moment's notice. _That's_ what it means to be a leader."

Tigerstar seemed utterly frozen in shock. A thousand emotions seem to gleam in his eyes at once. He gazed down at the tortoiseshell pressed against him, as if afraid to touch her. Blazepaw held his breath, and he saw all the cats in the clearing seem to do the same. Would Tigerstar listen to what Olivenose had told him? Was there a hope he could change?

Finally, the dark tabby sighed, melting into the embrace with his mate. "I don't know how I didn't see... I'm so sorry." He closed his eyes, leaning his chin on the top of her head, before pulling back.

Tigerstar lifted his head, facing every cat in the clearing. "I have caused a great rift in ShadowClan," he began, the softest tremor to his tone. "I hurt my Clanmates, and I was too foolish to see it. And I hurt other Clans as well." He turned to Mistystar first. "Mitsystar, Shrewfoot and her cats stole from you, and attacked you, and I didn't stop her as I should have. I am truly sorry."

Mistystar hesitated, looking surprised at the tom's change of heart, before dipping her head. "See to it that it doesn't happen again, and I believe we can leave it in the past," she mewed graciously. The elderly leader was still leaning heavily on Silentpaw, but bit by bit she seemed to be regaining her strength.

The ShadowClan leader returned her nod, then turned to Bramblestar. Tigerstar's ThunderClan kin regarded him warily, but didn't protest as Tigerstar approached him. To Blazepaw's shock, Tigerstar lowered himself into a submissive crouch before the ThunderClan leader. "I betrayed the trust of your Clan. I thought that you'd taken advantage of my old, sick father when you took those kits. I thought I had the right to steal them back. But I see now, Rowanstar made the right choice. My brother and sister are safer in ThunderClan than they ever would have been here. I would have failed them." He glanced down, his voice breaking. "I wouldn't have protected them, because I was a fool, and I didn't see the danger in time."

Tigerstar looked up, meeting Bramblestar's amber gaze. "I saw you fight for my Clan today. I see now that you are a noble leader, far wiser and kinder than I could ever hope to be. I couldn't be more honored if you would continue to care for my brother and sister. They are yours, and Squirrelflight's, and I will never try to steal them again. You have my word."

Bramblestar hesitated. Finally, he took a step towards Tigerstar. Blazepaw was struck again by how similar the toms looked, like reflections of the same cat. "I will hold you to that, Tigerstar," Bramblestar rumbled. "If you truly mean what you say, I thank you for it."

"I do, I promise I do." Tigerstar hesitated, then added, "Just promise me one thing. Promise me you won't let them forget ShadowClan. They have ties here, no matter where they live. Don't let them forget the kin they have here... and don't let them forget Tawnypelt."

Some emotion flashed in Bramblestar's, something deep and solemn. "I would never let that happen," he promised in a low murmur. "They will always remember her, and the Clan she loved."

Tigerstar dipped his head to Bramblestar. After a moment, he turned back to Olivenose. He took a few, careful steps towards her. Olivenose watched his approach warily. "You were right about everything," Tigerstar told her gently. He was right in front of her now, looking down at her with a tender expression. "I didn't make you deputy because it was best for the Clan. I did it because I wanted to please you. All I ever wanted was to make you happy. But I can't just think of you, I have to think of the whole Clan. That's what it means to be leader." He paused, then continued, "And that's why I want you to continue to serve as my deputy, if you are willing."

Olivenose seemed utterly shocked. Her ears flew back, and she stumbled, her sagging belly making her clumsy. "What?" she managed.

Tigerstar's amber eyes were warm with love as he purred, "I only see it now, but I was never a proper leader to ShadowClan. But you were. You've the one who's kept ShadowClan together this whole time. You've been making up for all my mistakes. You've been looking out for ShadowClan, you knew what had to be done for them even when I didn't. I made you deputy for all the wrong reasons, but I see now that there could never be a better choice than you. You are exactly what ShadowClan needs in their deputy." He lowered his head respectfully to the tortoiseshell. "Will you continue to serve by my side as my deputy."

The queen only hesitated a moment longer. Then, she took a step towards Tigerstar, rubbing her muzzle against his cheek and purring. "If that is what you want, I will continue to be deputy. We can make ShadowClan better together."

Blazepaw felt a wave of relief crash over him. Tigerstar had recognized his mistakes, and was determined to set things right. Maybe now, there was finally a chance for peace in the forest.

But as he gazed around the hollow, his relief faded, concern gnawing at his belly. In his joy at the battle's end, he had failed to realize how empty ShadowClan's camp seemed now. Nearly half of ShadowClan had fled the camp, following Shrewfoot into exile. The Clan was just barely half the size it used to be. With hunting as hard as it was, how was this tiny Clan going to survive the coming moons, especially with Shrewfoot and her supporters roaming loose in the forest?

Suddenly, something cold and wet landed on Blazepaw's back. He flinched in surprise, then looked up. Small, white specks, almost like little stars, were drifting slowly from the sky. They spiraled down towards the forest floor in a lazy dance through the sky, landing softly on the ground below. They kept landing on Blazepaw, cold to the touch, melting away in an instant. He gazed at the stuff in wonder, watching as it began to accumulate on the camp floor. The first snow of leafbare had finally come.

Mistystar's voice broke Blazepaw out of his thoughts. "We must return to our own Clan now," the blue-gray she-cat announced. She had switched to leaning on Eeltooth, Silentpaw hovering nearby. Mistystar glanced at Darkbreeze, who stood nearby. "We can escort you back to WindClan, if you like."

"I would appreciate that very much," Darkbreeze said, dipping her head respectfully to the leader. Her whiskers twitched in amusement as she mewed, "I have a lot of explaining to do for Ashstar."

"We must leave as well," Bramblestar added. "We will see you again at the next Gathering, Tigerstar." He hesitated, then added sincerely, "Good luck to you and your Clan."

Tigerstar dipped his head to his kin. "And luck to you and yours."

Blazepaw felt a surge of weariness come over him. The battle was done, and won. Shrewfoot had been chased from ShadowClan, and now it was time to return home, with the lake territories safer for it.

He approached Silentpaw, who still stood by Mistystar. The blue-gray leader touched her nose to Silentpaw's murmuring, "Thank you for protecting me, Silentpaw. You fought well today."

"I was honored to fight beside you," Silentpaw replied solemnly. Some deep emotion burned in his sister's blind eyes. Blazepaw was surprised – he had known that Mistystar had offered a place in RiverClan to Silentpaw, but it seemed the relationship between his sister and the elderly leader was deeper than he'd known.

Some warm affection gleamed in Mistystar's eyes. "Goodbye, little one," she purred. "I'll see you again at the next Gathering." With that, she allowed Eeltooth to lead her away, rejoining her Clanmates and Darkbreeze.

Once Mistystar was gone, Silentpaw turned to Blazepaw. "We won," she breathed, sounding almost like she couldn't believe it.

"We did," Blazepaw purred. "Now come on. Let's go home."

* * *

Wow. I did not expect to get this done all in one night. I blazed through this chapter like crazy. XD And now I have to get up early tomorrow morning. Joy.

Anyway, this is one I've been waiting to write for a while. Shrewfoot's exile, Olivenose's "The Reason You Suck" speech, Tigerstar finally learning the error of his ways. I hit all the points I wanted to, and I'm really happy with how it turned out.

There should be two chapters left, but I may or may not squeeze everything I need into one chapter. If not, I'll have a really short last chapter, probably.

If you're confused about who all of Shrewfoot's followers are, just look for who's missing from ShadowClan when I post the allegiances for the next book.

I'll try to get the next chapter posted quickly. It will be in Silentpaw's point of view.


	28. Chapter Twenty Six

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 2: The Broken Shadow  
Chapter Twenty Six

Silentpaw padded wordlessly beside Blazepaw. The battle was over and won, and the traitor Shrewfoot was gone. Fighting that battle, Silentpaw had felt what it meant to fight as a true warrior. The sheer thrill of it, and the pride of defending her Clan with tooth and claw. She only hoped that it would mean something, and that Shrewfoot would stay gone.

Small, cold specks of something kept falling on Silentpaw's pelt as they made their way back to their own territory. It didn't take her long to realize it was the snow that the older warriors often spoke of. By the time they reached camp, the falling snow was coming down thicker and harder. A thin sheet of the stuff already draped the forest floor, numb ingle cold under her paws. Somehow, it felt right. With Shrewfoot gone, and Tigerstar truly stepping up as a leader, the lake Clans were entering a new era.

When the patrol returned to camp, they were instantly greeted with triumphant yowls and cheerful nuzzling. "They're back!" Bramblestar paused, seeming surprised by the overwhelming joy of their Clanmates as they greeted the returning patrol. Silentpaw could barely make out individual cats over the rush of thudding paws, but she could hear Dovewing and Bumblestripe nuzzling, Lionblaze checking on Blazepaw, and Toadstep running up to Ivypool, and the she-cat nuzzling Toadstep with a tenderness that made Silentpaw purr.

"What's going on?" he asked warily.

Dovewing padded out of the crowd, Ripplekit and Skykit trotting by her paws. With a putt, the young queen explained, "You were gone a while, so I decided to keep an eye on ShadowClan's camp. We saw you drive out Shrewfoot."

Understanding tinged Bramblestar's tone, and amusement. "Ah. I sometimes forget you can do that." The massive tom padded past his Clanmates, heading towards the nursery, no doubt to talk with Squirrelflight.

Silentpaw's ears perked at the sound of approaching cats. Snowfall and Ambertalon came up to the returning cats. Ambertalon butted her head against Blazepaw's shoulder in friendly greeting as Snowfall asked, "So what happened? Are you hurt?"

"We're fine," Blazepaw assured his friends.

Bumblestripe spoke up, explaining, "It was a quick fight. Shrewfoot wasn't expecting to have to deal with more than just her own Clanmates."

"A quick fight? That's boring," Spiderleg joked, padding out of the crowd. To Silentpaw's surprise, he shoved her shoulder in a friendly manner and asked, "Did you get any good scars out of it at least?"

She just snorted. "Yeah, you wish, then you could complain about clumsy apprentices not being fast enough not to get injured."

As she joked with Spiderleg, she missed the sound of pawsteps behind her. Silentpaw nearly jumped when Ivypool spoke barely a mouse-length behind her. "I'm very proud of you, Silentpaw." The apprentice turned to face her mentor, pride swelling in her chest as Ivypool purred, "You fought well today."

"Thanks, Ivypool," Silentpaw purred back.

She was distracted by a thudding of paws. Bramblestar had left the nursery, and was bounding across the camp, leaping up to the High Ledge. She heard Squirrelflight padding just outside of the den, her kits poking their heads out curiously beside her.

There was no need to sound the usual call for a Clan meeting. The entire Clan was already gathered, staring up at Bramblestar, murmuring eagerly to each other. Silentpaw and Blazepaw joined the crowd, coming to stand beside Snowfall and Ambertalon.

"What Dovewing says is true," Bramblestar announced. "Olivenose came here today to ask us to talk to Tigerstar. Mistystar came as well. We were meant to tell him to stay off of our territory, but when we got there, Shrewfoot and her supporters were attacking their Clanmates."

Shocked yowls rang through the crowd. "She attacked her own Clanmates?" Brightheart called out, sounding stunned. "I knew she was arrogant, but that's pure treachery!"

Bramblestar inclined his head to the elderly she-cat. "Yes. It seems she had been planning this for a while. Her supporters ambushed the rest of her Clanmates, while she tried to take out Tigerstar. But because of the support of ThunderClan and RiverClan warriors, Shrewfoot and the other traitors were driven from ShadowClan."

"Do you think she'll come back?" Poppyfrost asked, sounding anxious.

Bramblestar admitted, "It's certainly possible. But for now, at least, the Clans are safe from her. She is a rogue, without a Clan to support her. If she truly means to come back, I think it won't be for a while."

"She better not," Silentpaw heard Bumblestripe mutter. "They already took enough of my fur out. I think I might claw her eyes out if I see her again."

Bramblestar waited for the murmuring crowd to fall silent before he continued. The leader rumbled, "But it was not only because of our strength in this battle that we succeeded today." Silentpaw froze in shock as he announced, "Today, two very brave apprentices fought with us. One of these apprentices took the initiative today to trust her judgment, and if it weren't for her suggestion, we would not have won this battle."

Silentpaw was already purring with pride, but she felt nearly dizzy with joy as Bramblestar called, "Silentpaw, Blazepaw, step forward!"

Side by side, the littermates stepped forward. Silentpaw's entire pelt felt like it was buzzing with joy, and she felt Blazepaw trembling beside her. Everything she had ever done, all the choices she'd made, all the hard days of training, had all led up to this moment.

Bramblestar leaped down from the High Ledge, coming to stand before the apprentices. In a deep, booming yowl, he announced, "I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn."

Silentpaw held her breath as Bramblestar looked down upon the apprentices. "Blazepaw, Silentpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Blazepaw vowed, his somber tone just barely covering his excitement.

Silentpaw closed her eyes, cherishing the utter thrill of this moment, of the honor she was about to be bestowed. "I do," she murmured.

"Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior names," Bramblestar declared. "Blazepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Blazeheart. StarClan honors your compassion and your forethought, and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan."

Blazeheart was trembling in pure joy as he dipped his head to Bramblestar. The massive tabby laid his chin over Blazeheart's head, and the new warrior licked his leader's shoulder."

The leader turned next to the blind she-cat. "Silentpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Silentstorm. StarClan honors your initiative and your loyalty, and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan."

_Silentstorm._ Bramblestar had named her after the storm that had tested her loyalty utterly, to ThunderClan, and to the Clans as a whole. An acknowledgment that the she-cat felt a loyalty to preserve all four Clans, and often acted on compassion, sometimes over the protection of her own Clan. But instead of reprimanding her for it, this new name flaunted it as a virtue.

Silentstorm dipped her head in deepest respect to Bramblestar. She felt him rest his chin on her head, so she stretched her muzzle forward to lick his shoulder fur.

As Bramblestar pulled back, Silentstorm heard her Clanmates begin to cheer. "Blazeheart! Silentstorm! Blazeheart! Silentstorm!" Something strong and proud blazed in her chest. Only a few moons ago, half of these cats were snarling at her behind her back and questioning her loyalty. But now, they were calling out her new name in bright, golden tones. Fierce loyalty surged through the new warrior. This was her family, her Clan. She had proved herself to them, and she would die for them a thousand times. That was what it meant to be a warrior.

Silentstorm held her head high, letting warm pride wash over her as the cheering began to fade. As the Clan fell silent, Bramblestar announced, "As is tradition, tonight, Silentstorm and Blazeheart will stand silent vigil. They will not be permitted to speak until dawn." With a wave of his tail, Bramblestar ended the meeting.

Bramblestar padded away towards the nursery, leaving Silentstorm's Clanmates to themselves. One by one, they approached the new warriors, purring congratulations or touching noses with the littermates. Jayfeather was one of the first to approach Silentstorm. He touched noses with the young warrior, murmuring, "Congratulations. I always knew you could do it."

Silentstorm was forbidden to speak; all she could do was press her muzzle briefly against Jayfeather's cheek, purring as loud as a LionClan warrior's roar.

Each cat came in turn, giving their congratulations to Blazeheart and Silentstorm. As the last of the cats tapered off, heading into their dens for the night, Silentstorm slowly stood, Blazeheart following suit. Side by side, the littermates padded towards the bramble entrance of the camp, pushing past the snow-dusted brambles and out into the forest. They stopped just outside the camp, settling on either side of the bramble entrance. Silentstorm's haunches and paws instantly felt numb with cold as she settled onto the snowy forest floor, but she knew she could stand it for the night. This was her vigil; she couldn't be prouder to stand out in silence all night, no matter the freezing cold or drenching rain.

The new warrior settled into her post, head held high and ears perked, as she began her vigil as the first blind warrior of ThunderClan.

**SCENEBREAK**

Birdsong in the distance was what first alerted Silentstorm that dawn had finally come. The new warrior shifted, shaking snow out of her pelt for the umpteenth time that night. The thick sheets of snow falling had slowed since the night, now only falling in light, lazily-drifting flakes, but they still settled on Silentstorm's pelt and left her cold.

Both Silentstorm and Blazeheart stiffened at the soft footfalls of an approaching cat, only to relax as they recognized Cinderheart. Their mother padded up to her kits, touching her nose to Silentstorm's ear. "It's alright," she murmured, "Dawn is here, you can speak now. Your vigil is over"

Blazeheart let out a breath of relief. "Thank StarClan," he muttered. The tom rose to his paws, slowly stretching out his stiff hind limbs. "I can't feel my legs anymore, I'm so cold!"

"At least we'll have a story to tell," Silentstorm joked. "Sitting a vigil in a snowstorm."

Cinderheart gave a sharp _mrowrr_ of laughter. "Oh, if you thought that was a snowstorm, you haven't seen anything," she joked. "Last leafbare was far worse." She nudged her daughter's shoulder gently, telling her, "Go on and get some sleep. You've earned it."

Silentstorm nodded, holding back a yawn. "That's not a bad idea," she mumbled, suddenly feeling the weariness from the previous day's battle and the night's vigil catch up with her.

She and Blazeheart padded past their mother, pushing through the brambles into camp. Barely any cats were awake yet, only the few warriors preparing for the dawn patrol. The only sounds were soft conversation from the few woken cats and the gentle falling of snow.

Silentstorm nearly turned towards the apprentice's den before Blazeheart halted her with a gentle nudge. "Not there. We're warriors now, remember?" Blazeheart teased, a tinge of joy to his tone.

The new warrior paused, feeling the same rush of joy as last night. "Right. Off to the warrior's den, then," she purred. She followed her brother as they headed for the fallen beech. Under the tangled roots lay the warrior's den.

They padded inside together. The den was far more crowded than Silentstorm was used to, filled to the brim with sleeping warriors. She stepped as carefully as she could around all of them, following her brother towards Snowfall and Ambertalon. Silentstorm lowered her muzzle to the ground, sniffing curiously. To her surprise, there were two empty moss nests right next to their friends. With a rush of warmth, she realized Snowfall and Ambertalon must have made nests for them before going to sleep.

She curled up in the nest nearest Ambertalon, Blazeheart taking the other. The pelts of her friends and her littermates pressed against her, warming her as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

**SCENEBREAK**

_Oh no. Not again._

Silentstorm flinched away from the cold mist that flowed lazily around her. Once again, she was surrounded by the stench of toadstools and rotting wood, in the Dark Forest. And once again, she had no idea why she was here, or how she'd gotten here.

But this time, the mist around her was already alive, thick and moving about her in a serpent-like motion. "You're back again, Silent One," the strange, crackling voice murmured. It seemed soft and hard as lightning all at once.

The last two times Silentstorm had found herself here, she had been an inexperienced apprentice, too shocked by where she was to put up a fight. But now, with her new name and two battles behind her, the warrior's confidence was at its peak.

She crouched low, striking out fast with one paw, claws unsheathed, at the mist. Predictably, the mist rolled away from her paw, the owner of the strange voice unharmed. "I'm not afraid of you!" Silentstorm called out in a defiant yowl. "Come out and face me, coward! I am Silentstorm, warrior of ThunderClan, and I demand that you face me!"

"I am here, little cat," the voice retorted, almost sounding amused. "I'm all around you."

Silentstorm tipped her head, cautious. "Who are you?" she asked in a growl. "Why am I here?"

The creature side-stepped the first question, revealing only, "You are here because I brought you here. Because I wanted to see the Silent One in all her glory. I must say, I'm not impressed."

"Why do you keep calling me the Silent One?" Silentstorm snapped. "What is that supposed to mean?"

A light, tinkling laugh drifted on the breeze, swirling around Silentstorm. "All in good time, little cat. Where would the fun be in giving away all the hints before the game's even started?"

Silentstorm bristled, a blaze of anger making her snap, "I don't want to play your games! I won't train with Dark Forest warriors, and you can't make me! So just let me go, or kill me, if you think you can."

The laugh grew in volume now, becoming sharper, somehow more dangerous. The creature laughed, "Oh, you think I'm one of those little fools who tried to invade the living world a few moons ago. Silent One, I'm far, far older than that. I was old as time itself when your StarClan had only taken their first steps in their sky." The mist seemed to harden around Silentstorm, almost threatening to smother her. "Believe me, if I wanted to kill you, I could. But I hardly think it's worth it. You're no threat to me – you're born, you'll live, you'll die, and I will still be here long after you've faded into dust."

The creature's words sent chills through every hair on Silentstorm's pelt. This wasn't what the Clans has to face in the Dark Battle. This was something much older, and much darker. She lowered her head, trying to keep her growl from trembling as she asked, "Who are you?"

In a voice far too soft, and still sharp with danger, the creature murmured, "My name is Shade."

END OF BOOK TWO

* * *

Oh hey, it's been exactly three months since I began this book, and now I've finished it. Nice. ^^

As I predicted might happen, I wrapped up everything that was supposed to take up chapters Twenty Six and Twenty Seven all in one chapter. Turns out I didn't have enough to make two chapters. Oops. Whatever, now I have exactly the same number of chapters for both book one and book two.

Anyway, I'm really, really happy with how this ceremony and everything turned out. I really hope you enjoyed it, everyone really seemed to be looking forward to them getting their names. Blazeheart was named after his compassion, and how gentle he is with the kits of the Clan, and how often he offers to look after them. He was also sort of named after Fireheart, and Cinderheart. Silentstorm was named for the reasons explained in the story itself, and also after her strong, stubborn personality.

Fun fact time. I was, for a very long time actually, going to name her Silentblaze. That was set as her warrior name for a very long time, until Devinital of deviantArt suggested that she be named after the storm that sent her to RiverClan, since it defined her a lot. I thought that was a really good idea, and it also took away the problem of her suffix being her brother's prefix, which had always bugged me. I shall miss Silentblaze, but I definitely love Silentstorm as her name.

So now we know the name of the strange creature - Shade. Yes, we're going to be dealing more in spirit-y stuff in the next few books, but I'll try to shake it up and make it different than what we've seen before.

I still have some planning to do for book three, so I'm holding off on that for a little bit. Just a short while, not very long. I'm going to try and get all my commissions done before I start book three.

And on a side note, yay, the US made gay marriage legal nationwide today. :D Yay for progress!


End file.
